Belarusian dissident Roman Protasevich sentenced to eight years

Belarusian dissident Roman Protasevich sentenced to eight years

Belarus opposition activist Roman Protasevich has been sentenced to eight years in prison for charges including inciting unrest and conspiring to seize power. Protasevich was arrested in May 2021 after Belarusian authorities forced his Ryanair flight to land in Minsk. Among the charges Protasevich faced were organizing mass riots and calling for sanctions against Belarus.

The arrest and sentencing have been met with international condemnation, with Western countries accusing Belarus of hijacking the Ryanair plane. Protasevich's girlfriend, Sofia Sapega, was also sentenced to six years in jail for inciting discord in May 2022.

Do you think the international community's condemnation of Belarus for the forced landing of the Ryanair flight and Protasevich's sentencing will impact the country's leadership?