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Belarus Forces Commercial Jet To Land

The plane was carrying a prominent critic of Belarus' government.
Posted at 9:42 AM, May 24, 2021
and last updated 2021-05-24 09:42:01-04

Belarus' government is facing serious questions after it forced a commercial airplane to suddenly land and arrest one of the passengers on board.

The Ryanair jet was traveling from Greece to Lithuania. It was carrying a prominent critic of Belarus' government.

As the plane was traveling over Belarus, officials claimed there was a bomb threat and the pilots needed to make an emergency landing in Minsk. A fighter jet escorted the plane where officials arrested the political critic. 

Now leaders from the U.S. and Europe are condemning Belarus' leadership and some say the government faked the threat to make the arrest.