Detained journalist Roman Protasevich has appeared on Belarusian state television, tearfully confessing to his role in anti-government protests in an interview that the opposition said was made under duress. This is not Raman I know,” said Franak Viacorka, a senior adviser to exiled opposition figure Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, using a different spelling of Protasevich’s name. The opposition has said a video confession made last month by Russian citizen Sofia Sapega, Protasevich’s girlfriend who was also detained after the forced landing, appeared coerced. They have maintained aired television confessions by members of the opposition were made voluntarily. Ms Tsikhanouskaya said on Monday she believed Protasevich had been beaten and tortured in prison.

Source: The Irish Times June 04, 2021 05:37 UTC