President Biden demanded the release of Belarusian opposition journalist Raman Pratasevich on Monday after he was arrested following a forced diversion of his Ryanair flight from Greece to Lithuania. "The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms both the diversion of the plane and the subsequent removal and arrest of Mr. Pratasevich," Biden said in a statement. Belarusian officials claimed the plane was diverted because of a bomb threat, but no explosives were found. When the plane was diverted, Pratasevich told other passengers that he was "facing the death penalty," one passenger told Agence France-Presse. "The United States once again condemns the Lukashenka regime’s ongoing harassment and arbitrary detention of journalists," Blinken said.

Source: Fox News May 25, 2021 02:03 UTC