The wave of flight bans with which the EU and Ukraine have retaliated against Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko kidnapping an opposition journalist in mid-air is but “flightwashing,” warn Belarusian activists. The measures have created an iron curtain for ordinary Belarusians, with families being split up by the impermeable border. Fortunately, there exist other options to truly impact the ruler of “Europe’s North Korea.”
OP-ED
Bohdan Ben: Do this to hit Lukashenko’s regime
Protesters hold placards and traditional Belarusian flags, the symbol of the opposition, as they take part in a demonstration against political repression, in Vilnius on May 29, 2021, demanding freedom for Belarusian opposition journalist Roman Protasevich and his partner Sofia Sapega. - Belarus President Lukashenko sparked international outrage by dispatching a fighter jet on May 23, 2021 to intercept a flight from Athens to Vilnius carrying blogger Roman Protasevich, 26, and his partner Sofia Sapega. The diversion, prompted by a supposed bomb scare, provoked a global outcry and Western leaders have been calling for both to be released.
