In this video posted on Monday, May 24, Belarusian activist Roman Protassevich, arrested when a Ryanair flight was forced to land in Minsk, claims to be in good health and admits to having played a role in the organization of protests in Minsk last year.
"The staff behave with me in a completely adequate way and by respecting the law, I continue to collaborate with the investigators and made confessions concerning the organization of massive disturbances", affirms Roman Protassevich in this video in which he s 'expressed seated at a table, facing the camera.
There he appears in a dark sweatshirt, tired, waving his crossed hands, while a pack of cigarettes and a box of matches are placed on the table.
In the recording, undated, the activist says he is in Detention House No. 1, located in the center of Minsk.
But the room where he is filmed gives no indication of his whereabouts.
A staging according to the opposition
His allies immediately denounced a staging, believing that his statements had been made under duress.
The opposition media claim that Roman Protassevich has traces on his face, which they believe suggests possible ill-treatment.
"This is what Roman looks like under physical and moral duress. I call for the immediate release of Roman and all political prisoners," said Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya, one of the Belarusian opposition leaders, s 'voicing on Twitter in English.
The regime's propaganda channels posted a video of arrested Raman Pratasevich, saying that he is treated lawfully in the Minsk Detention Center №1.
This is how Raman looks under physical and moral pressure.
I demand the immediate release of Raman and all political prisoners.
pic.twitter.com/zdolsbp6m5
- Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (@Tsihanouskaya) May 24, 2021
Appearing on several Telegram messaging conversations, Roman Protassevich says he is in a detention center for people awaiting trial and denies having heart problems as mentioned by certain sources on social networks.
In power since 1994, Alexander Lukashenko, 66, has faced unprecedented mistrust with protests following his contested re-election last summer.
Around 35,000 people have been arrested since the start of the protest movement.
Alexander Lukashenko refutes any electoral fraud and accuses Western countries of being behind the demonstrations.
26-year-old opposition journalist Roman Protassevich and his partner Sofia Sapéga were on board a Ryanair Boeing from Athens to Vilnius.
The latter was baffled on Sunday in Minsk after a bomb threat which turned out to be false.
They were arrested at the airport.
Placed on the list of individuals involved in terrorist activities
Western countries and the opposition strongly denounced this incident, accusing Minsk of "piracy" or even state "terrorism" to arrest an activist.
Living in exile in Lithuania, Roman Protassevich is being prosecuted in Belarus for "organizing massive disturbances", a crime punishable by 15 years in prison.
The Belarusian security services (KGB), inherited from the Soviet period, also placed him on a list of "individuals implicated in terrorist activities".
According to the opposition, the young man faces the death penalty in Belarus, the last country to apply it in Europe.
With AFP and Reuters
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