Poland Issues Arrest Warrants for Belarusian Officials

Polish prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for three Belarusian officials linked to the forced landing of a Ryanair flight in Minsk in May 2021, which was carrying opposition journalist Roman Protasevich. The suspects, identified as Leonid C. (former director of Belarus's air navigation agency), Yevgenia T. (head of the air traffic control shift), and Andrey AM (head of the KGB), face charges of 'capture of an aircraft' and 'illegal deprivation of freedom.' The flight was diverted under false pretenses of a bomb threat, which led to the unlawful detention of Protasevich and his girlfriend, Sofia Sapega. Following the incident, Poland, along with the EU, condemned Belarus's actions as state terrorism and imposed sanctions on Belarusian carriers. A joint investigation by Polish and Lithuanian authorities, supported by Eurojust, has gathered extensive evidence to support the charges. Arrest warrants will be pursued through European and Interpol channels as the suspects remain outside Poland.