Pratasevich had worked as the editor-in-chief of the popular opposition media Nexta. Nexta played a big role in organizing anti-Lukashenko demonstrations.
Belarus a reporter arrested on Sunday Raman Pratasevich, 26, is a long-standing political activist who has worked in various opposition media in the country at home and abroad.
Until the end of September last year, Pratasevich served as editor-in-chief of the popular Nexta media, which played a major role in the country’s authoritarian leadership. Alexander Lukashenko protests last year.
Nexta, which operates on the Telegram, Youtube and social media, provided protesters with information on meeting times and locations, as well as police movements and arrests. Photographs and videos of the demonstrations published by the channel spread to the international media.
Last at the end of the year, the Belarusian security service, the KGB, set up Pratasevich and Nexta Stsjapan Putsilan on the list of wanted persons due to terrorism. At the same time, Nexta, with more than a couple of million followers, was declared an extremist organization.
Also read: A couple of million Belarusians follow the messages of Stsjapan Putsila, 22, from their phones, and that is why he is Lukashenko’s disgust.
According to AFP news agency, Pratasevich faces up to 15 years in prison in Belarus. He himself is even afraid of the death penalty.
On Sunday, Belarussian authorities forced low-cost airline Ryanair on a flight from Athens to Vilnius to land in Minsk, where, according to Pratasevich and news agencies, the authorities may have also arrested a few other people.
Read more: Belarus forces Ryanair to land to arrest opposition journalist – Haavisto Yle: Belarus’ explanations flimsy
Pratasevich fled in October 2019 from Belarus to Poland, where Nexta’s founder Putsila had already moved. In January last year, Pratasevich applied for asylum in Poland.
“I was forced to leave because of charges from the security services, and Poland was the nearest safe country. Four to six criminal charges have been brought against me and Tsjapan, with up to 25 years in prison, ”Pratasevich said the British Broadcasting Corporation. BBC’s for the Russian-language service in August last year.
According to Pratasevich, the charges include “revealing state secrets,” “insulting the president,” and “inciting mass riots.”
Pratasevich started as a youth activist in the 2010s and was arrested several times. Among other things, he took part in the 2011 “silent” demonstrations in Minsk. They called for Lukashenko to resign without loud slogans.
Pratasevich was admitted to the Belarusian State University to study journalism, but was fired shortly after starting his studies. Prior to Nexta, he worked as a journalist for U.S. funding On Euroradio and Radio Svoboda.
On Sunday, he was traveling with his girlfriend from Athens, Greece to Vilnius, Lithuania.
Both Poland and the European Union have called for the immediate release of Pratasevich.
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source https://pledgetimes.com/belarus-journalist-raman-pratasevich-26-arrested-on-a-scheduled-flight-had-applied-for-asylum-in-poland-last-year/
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