He Stayed in Belarus for His Imprisoned Wife. Now He’s Locked Up, Too.; The New York Times, November 1, 2025

Valerie Hopkins , The New York Times; He Stayed in Belarus for His Imprisoned Wife. Now He’s Locked Up, Too.

[Kip Currier: 1st Amendment rights we currently have in the U.S. -- free press and freedom of expression -- are nonexistent in nations like Belarus, Russia, China, and many more autocratic states.

We must ensure those hard-won rights do not get disappeared here in America.

And we have a moral duty to speak out against oppression like the brave journalists in this story are suffering under in Belarus and other totalitarian places.]

[Excerpt]

"Belarus continues to lock up anyone who criticizes the government, even as the Trump administration rewards Mr. Lukashenko with improved relations."

Belarus Forces Down Plane to Seize Dissident; Europe Sees ‘State Hijacking’; The New York Times, May 23, 2021

Anton Troianovski and Ivan Nechepurenko, The New York Times ; Belarus Forces Down Plane to Seize Dissident; Europe Sees ‘State Hijacking’

The dissident, Roman Protasevich, co-founded a Telegram channel that is a popular opposition outlet in Belarus. The plane was flying from Athens to Lithuania when it was forced down.

"It underscored that with the support of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, Mr. Lukashenko is prepared to go to extraordinary lengths to repress dissent."