To promote a peaceful transition to a Cuba that respects human rights
and political and economic freedoms
25 years ago a Mig-29 shot down two civilian planes killing four. 3 days ago a Mig-29 forced down a commercial plane to kidnap 2 dissidents - Why you should worry.
Twenty five years ago a Cuban MiG-29 fired on two civilian planes belonging to Brothers to the Rescue in international airspace in an unprovoked attack that killed Armando Alejandre, Jr., Carlos Costa, Mario de la Peña and Pablo Morales were on a humanitarian mission searching for Cuban rafters in the Florida Straits. It was learned later that Cuban spies had infiltrated the organization and provided information to Havana in a murder conspiracy that led to the shoot down on February 24, 1996. The actions of the Cuban government were condemned as unlawful at the UN Security Council on July 26, 1996.
Nearly three months after this tragic anniversary, events involving Belarus, Europe's last dictatorship, its security services and a MiG-29 diverted a commercial airline to kidnap a dissident journalist and his girlfriend. "Belarusian authorities scrambled a [Mig-29] fighter jet and flagged what turned out to be a false bomb alert to force a Ryanair plane to land on Sunday and then detained [Roman Protasevich] an opposition-minded journalist, and [ his girlfriend Sofia Sapega ] who [were] on board, drawing condemnation from Europe and the United States," reported Reuters. According to the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement released on May 23, 2021, " initial reports suggesting the involvement of the Belarusian security services and the use of Belarusian military aircraft to escort the plane are deeply concerning and require full investigation."
CNN on May 25, 2021 reported on the gravity of what happened and also quoted the CEO of Ryanair:
The 26-year-old dissident was traveling on Ryanair flight 4978 from Athens, Greece to Vilnius, Lithuania on Sunday when shortly before touchdown the plane was diverted by Belarusian air traffic control to the capital Minsk over a supposed security alert.
Ryanair's CEO Michael O'Leary accused Belarus of "state-sponsored piracy," telling Ireland's Newstalk radio Monday that he believed Belarusian KGB agents were also on the flight that was carrying 26-year-old Protasevich, who is wanted in Belarus on a variety of charges.
This action should not be viewed in isolation but placed in context. On May 14, 2021 on the official Cuban television program Hacemos Cuba (We Make Cuba) hosted by Humberto López announced that they would prosecute and jail any Cuban national living abroad who engages in what the regime calls "subversive actions," No matter U.S. residency or citizenship status, if and when people born in Cuba return to the island to visit, they can be arrested and tried if the person has participated in what the regime calls "subversive actions," said top regime prosecutor,José Luis Reyes Blanco on the Cuban TV program. Subversive actions can be defined as ranging from taking part in a peaceful street protest, or supporting it on social media, or writing something critical about the dictatorship on a blog.
Prosecutor José Luis Reyes Blanco and Hacemos Cuba TV host Humberto López
Havana has repeatedly backed the dictator of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, at international forums, and at the very least will not condemn this interference in the commercial airline of a EU member state. Human Rights experts have observed and reported that these regimes collaborate and explore "worse"practices in what amounts in practice to a dictator's playbook.
These actions taken by the Lukashenko regime, if successful, will serve as inspiration for the Castro regime, and as the world witnessed on February 24, 1996, the Cuban dictatorship is capable of state terrorism, by comparison state-sponsored piracy will be small fare for Havana. In the 1970s terrorists would frequently hijack planes to Cuba, and be received with open arms by the Castro dictatorship.
Belarusian journalist Roman Protasevich and his girlfriend Sofia Sapega have both appeared in "confession videos." They appear to have made their "confessions" under duress, and reports have emerged alleging torture.
Cubans and Cuban Americans living abroad should be concerned with what is being done to Roman and Sofia. Could those days return with Cubans and Cuban Americans taken off planes diverted to Cuba to be subjected to the Castro regime's justice system? The answer to this question may depend on how the international community responds to this outrage committed by the Lukashenko regime.
Roman Protasevich and Sofia Sapega in separate confession videos
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