[PLEASE NOTE: Posting will end for the school year on Friday, May 28th.]

NOTE: Before answering the following questions, read the “Background” and watch the videos under “Resources” below.

1. List the who, what, where and when of the news item.

2. a) What is Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko’s nickname?
b) For how long has Lukashenko been in office?

3. For what reason did Lukashenko order the diversion of the commercial flight?

4. Which countries do not recognize Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus?

5. How does Lithuanian’s government want the international community to respond?

6. Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called on the International Civil Aviation Organization to begin an investigation. “It is absolutely obvious that this is an operation by the special services to hijack an aircraft in order to detain…Pratasevich,” she said in a statement. “Not a single person who flies over Belarus can be sure of his safety.”

Government officials from the EU and U.S. made statements saying they were “concerned,” by the diversion of Pratasevich’s commercial flight and his arrest was “unacceptable” and it was “shocking.”

Belarus is a member of the United Nations. President Biden could do more than issue statements through Secretary of State Blinken. The U.S. Ambassador could call for an emergency meeting at the UN and have the UN demand that Belarus release this journalist.

a) Should he do so?
b) Do you think he will do so?
c) Should the U.S. and our allies impose strict sanctions on Belarus?
Explain your answers.