Former opposition Belarusian activist and journalist Roman Protasevich said that he is an employee of the Belarusian intelligence service.

According to Ukrinform, this is being reported by Russian media.

Protasevich answered a journalist’s question about whether he works for the Belarusian intelligence.

“My comment will be brief: yes, I can confirm this information, but at the moment this is all I can say”

– Roman Protasevich

Chronicle of statements and context

The Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko stated that opposition figure Roman Protasevich, who was deemed a “terrorist” during mass protests in the country in 2020, now works for the country’s intelligence, reports BELTA.

When Lukashenko recalled how sanctions were imposed against the Belarusian company Belavia because of the detention in 2021 of opposition figure Roman Protasevich, the Belarusian leader noted that Protasevich is now “an employee of our intelligence”.

“Did we need to detain him? Now the question: why did they fly to Vilnius, they did not land there, but turned around and flew to Minsk, they landed after a call that there was some explosive device on board? Well, land – you were flying to Vilnius, you were over Vilnius – land. They turned around, they flew to Minsk. They landed in Minsk. I say: ‘Well, conduct the operation, he was undercover working for these fugitives. Conduct the operation properly’”

– Alexander Lukashenko

As reported, Protasevich was detained in May 2021 as a result of the forced landing of a Ryanair flight in Minsk. After the detention he struck a deal with investigators, after which he and his girlfriend Sofia Sapega were placed under house arrest. In January 2022 Protasevich announced that he had been released from house arrest, although the criminal case was not dropped, gave interviews to state TV, posted on social networks and even allegedly found a job.

Sapega was sentenced to six years in prison.

In May 2023 Lukashenko pardoned former Nexta editor Roman Protasevich.

At the end of September 2020 Protasevich left Nexta and headed the project of journalist and blogger Ihor Losyk, detained even before the elections, “Belarus Brain”.

In April 2022, the Nexta Telegram channels Nexta, Nexta Live and Luxta were recognized in Belarus as a “terrorist organization”; their activities in the country were banned.

In May 2023 Lukashenko pardoned former Nexta editor Roman Protasevich.