Belarus Hijacks Plane to Seize Journalist

Belarus Hijacks Plane to Seize Journalist

MINSK, BELARUS — A Ryanair plane headed from Greece to Lithuania was diverted to Belarus on Sunday, where a dissident journalist who had been aboard was then seized, according to The New York Times.

The passenger plane was escorted to land in Belarusian capital Minsk by a MiG-29 fighter jet.

The New York Times reports a statement from Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, who won an election widely regarded as rigged last year, says he personally gave the order for the diversion due a bomb threat on the plane.

However, no bombs were found, and Roman Protasevich, former editor of pro-opposition media group Nexta, was detained before the plane was allowed to resume its flight, according to the BBC.