Thousands of Belarusians who have fled a brutal crackdown on dissent are shocked by the forced landing of a flight to arrest an opposition journalist.
“He has succeeded in waking up Belarusians, connecting the discontent that was smoldering within the society with the new technologies, which led to unprecedented rallies and provoked the dictator’s anger,” said Franak Viachorka, a longtime friend.
After the plane’s forced landing in Minsk, which outraged Western leaders described as akin to air piracy and hijacking, the European Union barred Belarusian airlines from its airspace and airports, and advised its carriers to skirt Belarus. It is weighing other sanctions that could target top Belarusian companies.