Belarus’ long-time president, Alexander Lukashenko, on Wednesday, defended his internationally-slammed decision to force the landing of a passenger plane with a dissident journalist on board.
“I acted lawfully by protecting people according to all international rules,’’ Lukashenko told the parliament in Minsk.
Authorities used Sunday’s landing to have dissident Belarusian journalist, Roman Protasevich, arrested at the airport in Minsk.
Lukashenko initially said, without elaborating, that Belarus had received information that there was an explosive device on the plane.
Therefore, he said, the plane, which was on its way to Lithuania from Greece was diverted to Minsk with the assistance of a fighter jet.
The European Union has launched new sanctions against the power apparatus in Belarus because of the action, including a landing ban for former Soviet Republic’s airlines and sanctions on leadership.
“That the plane was forced to land by a MiG-29 fighter jet is an absolute lie!’’ said Lukashenko.
Belarus acted for safety reasons, he said, because the plane flew over the country’s nuclear power plant.
More than 100 people were onboard the Ryanair flight that was forced to land, including Protasevich and his partner, Sofia Sapega.
Both were arrested and their fate is uncertain.
