Members of the opposition to Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko have reported that the jailed journalist Roman Protasevich is being paraded by the dictatorial regime in statements under duress. Protasevich was arrested last month after his flight to Lithuania was forcibly diverted by the Belarusian government, for his support for the pro-democracy movement in Belarus. The 26-year-old journalist has since appeared in TV interviews and statements while in custody, appearances in which family members and colleagues in the opposition believe Protasevich has behaved out of character in his praise for Lukashenko and confessions to inciting mass unrest.

“The regime is using him as a trophy” tweeted Frank Viacorka, a senior advisor to opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. “No matter what he says, let’s not forget: he is a hostage.”  In response to the detainee’s statements, Protasevich’s father commented to AFP “I believe that he would never say such things. They broke him and forced him to say what was needed.” Many members of the opposition and human rights advocates expect that the journalist has been tortured and beaten while in custody. As a prominent figure in the opposition, Protasevich’s arrest and his forced statements are likely considered important strategies in suppressing dissent by Lukashenko’s regime. 

In August 2020, when Lukashenko was declared the president of Belarus for the sixth time since the beginning of his rule in 1994, mass protests erupted against the election that the opposition has accused of being entirely fraudulent. Protasevich has a long history of pro-democracy and anti-Lukashenko activism, notably his recent former role as editor-in-chief of NEXTA, a popular pro-opposition Telegram channel that serves as a news source informing Belarusians about protests and their meeting times and places.

The extreme measures taken to arrest the blogger, including hijacking his plane based on a fabricated bomb threat, reveal exactly how threatening Protasevich and his work are to the Belarusian government. In his media appearances since being arrested, Protasevich has, under duress, discouraged further protests and discredited opposition leaders like Tsikhanouskaya. He has also denied being physically abused by Belarusian authorities during his imprisonment. The arrest and the points Protasevich has been compelled to make are intended to undermine the protest movement and stall the efforts of sources like NEXTA as they enable dissenters to organize. However, they have also been the subject of international attention as the world contends with what is commonly called “the last dictatorship of Europe.” 

In response to Protasevich’s arrest, the European Union is planning to impose economic sanctions on Belarus and has banned Belarusian airlines from EU airspace and airports. Many countries do not recognize the results of the most recent presidential election and therefore reject Lukashenko as the official leader of Belarus. Losing international support and economic ties will certainly affect Belarus, but the Russian government’s continued support for Lukashenko’s regime could mean that Belarus will become more dependent upon Russia as both take an adversarial position towards the West. However, international efforts to improve the lives of the citizens of Belarus are necessary; sanctions to discourage Lukashenko’s suppression of press freedom, rights to protest, and flow of information are vital to this goal.

Protasevich’s unjust imprisonment is only a prominent example of injustice perpetrated by Lukashenko’s regime in its violent response to dissent and arrest of political figures, journalists, and protestors. While the government may be attempting to inspire fear and doubt among members of the press and the public, powerful countries internationally have interpreted this situation as an unacceptable illustration of dictatorial control and violation of rights and should continue to act to aid the people of Belarus.