Belarusian Officials Charged in 2021 Flight Diversion Incident

Polish prosecutors have charged three Belarusian officials with using a false bomb threat to divert a Poland-registered plane in 2021, leading to the arrest of dissident blogger Raman Pratasevich. The officials face charges for violating the freedom of 132 passengers and could face up to five years in prison if convicted.

Prosecutors in Poland have charged three Belarusian officials for their involvement in a 2021 incident where a Poland-registered plane was diverted using a false bomb threat. The officials violated the freedom of 132 passengers onboard, leading to the arrest of dissident blogger Raman Pratasevich.

The three men charged are Leonid C., ex-head of Belarus air navigation, Yevgenii T., an air controller at Minsk airport, and Andrei A.M., head of Belarus's KGB. Polish authorities have issued search warrants and seek a European arrest warrant for their capture.

Based on recordings and testimonies, the prosecutors concluded the plane was diverted to arrest Pratasevich, who was later sentenced to eight years in prison but pardoned in 2023. Western nations condemned the act as hijacking and sanctioned Belarus and President Lukashenko. The officials could face up to five years in a Polish prison if convicted.