Air Services Between Germany and the Russian Federation and the Power of Reciprocity
Published 30 May 2023 Author: Stefan Talmon
On 23 May 2021, Ryanair flight FR4978 from Athens to Vilnius was diverted by Belarusian air traffic control under the pretext of a dubious bomb threat. Upon landing at Minsk airport, one of the passengers on board, Belarusian blogger and political activist Roman Protasevich was arrested on charges of inciting unrest against the government of President Alexander Lukashenko. His partner, Sofia Sapega, was also arrested. Western States condemned the landing on false grounds as a serious attack on the rules governing civil aviation. (more…)