The girlfriend of Belarusian dissident Roman Protasevich has been sentenced to six years in prison for hate speech by a court in Grodno, Belarus. This is reported by the human rights organization Vyasna. Russian Sofia Sapega accompanied her partner on a plane that had to make an emergency landing in Belarus in May last year. The destination of the flight was Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, the residence of the exiled Protasevich and Sapega.
The pair were later removed from the plane and arrested by Belarusian security forces. The international community saw that Belarusian President Lukashenko had manipulated the theft, but denied any involvement. The case caused a stir in the Western world and led to EU and US sanctions against Belarus.
Protasevich was active as a blogger on Telegram, where he harshly criticized pro-Russian authoritarian President Lukashenko. The Nexta Live channel played a key role in the massive opposition to Lukashenko’s re-election following the alleged fraudulent 2020 elections.
Sapega (24) is known only for her law studies in Vilnius. Belarus authorities released a video last year admitting to a critical publication, Belarus Black Bookhad cooperated. It is believed that such confessions were received in Belarus. A filmed confession of Protasevich was also released. His case has not yet been decided.
Source: NOS
Smith Charles is a talented entertainment journalist and author at The Nation View. He has a passion for all things entertainment and writes about the latest movies, TV shows, music, and celebrity news. He’s known for his in-depth interviews with actors, musicians, and other industry figures, and his ability to provide unique perspectives on the entertainment industry.
