Roman Protasevich became a symbol of the struggle for democracy when Belarus forced down a plane and arrested him. Now it has pardoned him, and former allies say he has turned on them.
The country’s strongman, Aleksandr Lukashenko, finds himself in a bind. He survives with support from Russia, but entering the fight could be ‘political suicide.’
The statement followed broadcast of a video on Belarusian state TV of the activist Roman Protasevich confessing to organizing illegal rallies. His family says the comments were coerced.