Warsaw judge orders arrests of three Belarusians over 2021 Ryanair forced landing
September 6, Pozirk. Two days ago, the District Court of Warsaw ordered the arrest of three Belarusian nationals, considered responsible for the forced landing of the Ryanair flight in Minsk in May 2021, Gazeta Wyborcza reports.
Two Belarusian regime critics, opposition blogger and activist Raman Pratasievič and his girlfriend Sofya Sapega (Safija Sapieha), were arrested during the incident, which forced European Union’s airlines to stop flying over Belarus, while Belarusian carriers were barred from entering the bloc’s airspace.
Polish prosecutors accused former head of Belarusian air transportation agency Leanid Čuro, chief air traffic controller Jaŭhien Cyhanoŭ and an unnamed KGB officer of committing a terrorist act by misleading Ryanair crew, taking control of the aircraft and unlawfully detaining the crew and passengers.
The charge carries a penalty of up to 12 years in prison. The court ruling clears the way for international arrest warrants.
