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   The Belarusian journalist Roman Protasevich has been pardoned, the Belarusian   
   state news agency BELTA reports. Protasevich was arrested a year and a half   
   ago when his Ryanair plane was forced to land in Belarus due to a fake bomb   
   threat. It is not clear why Protasevich has been pardoned and whether he will   
   be released immediately. Three weeks ago he was sentenced to eight years in   
   prison for his role in the mass protests in 2020.   
       
   According to BELTA, Protasevich would have told journalists himself. "I have   
   just signed all relevant documents for the pardon. This is of course fantastic   
   news."   
       
   "Protasevich had previously confessed to his crimes, but it is internationally   
   accepted that this happened under great pressure from the Belarusian   
   authorities. He was also charged with incitement to hatred, insulting the   
   president and involvement in violent protests.   
       
   The 27-year-old Protasevich was on trial together with two other founders of   
   the opposition channel Nexta, a terrorist organization according to the   
   regime. In 2020, protesters used that platform on Telegram to mobilize large   
   groups of people to protest against the regime of President Aleksandr   
   Lukashenko. They also received long prison sentences. It is not known whether   
   they have also been pardoned.   
       
   Protasevich had fled his country and flew from Greece to Lithuania in May   
   2021. The Ryanair plane he was flying on was suddenly escorted by a fighter   
   jet and had to land in Belarus because a bomb was said to be present on the   
   plane. Protasevich was arrested immediately after the plane was put on the   
   ground. No bomb was found on board.   
       
   The action sparked international anger, but Minsk has always denied being   
   behind the bomb threat. The United Nations aviation agency concluded that   
   Belarus was indeed responsible for this.   
      
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