Europe, Media & Journalism, Power & Security Belarus plane ‘hijacking,’ journalist’s arrest brings international condemnation

International outrage has continued to grow days after Belarus diverted a commercial airline flight, forced it to land in Minsk, and arrested dissident journalist Raman Pratasevich who was onboard. The European Union has adopted new sanctions against Belarus, European airlines are avoiding the country’s airspace, and the Belarusian national airline has been banned from flying over or landing in E.U. territory over what some have termed a “hijacking” of the Ryanair flight.

How should the international community respond going forward, and why is Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko going to these lengths to arrest a journalist?

Penn Today spoke with Alexander Vershbow, former United States ambassador to Russia, former deputy secretary general of NATO, and current Wolk Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Perry World House, to get his take on the ordeal.

Read more in Penn Today >>