The Russian girlfriend of a Belarusian opposition journalist who were both arrested when their plane was forced to land in Minsk last year triggering global outrage has gone on trial.
Sofia Sapega could face up to six years in jail if found guilty of charges that include “inciting social hatred” and “violence or threats” against police.
The closed-door hearing began on March 28 in the western city of Hrodna.
Sapega, 24, was detained with Belarusian opposition activist Raman Pratasevich, 26, in May when Belarus scrambled a military jet to force a Ryanair passenger jet flying over its airspace to land in Minsk. Many countries regarded the diversion as a "state hijacking."
After the plane landed, law enforcement immediately arrested the two, who were flying from Athens to the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius. They were later put under house arrest.
Human Rights Watch has described the arrests as part of a “purge” of civil society in Belarus by Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
Pratasevich faces charges of being behind civil disturbances that followed a disputed presidential election in August 2020, an offense punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
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Belarusian Journalist Seized After Ryanair Jet 'Forcibly' Diverted To Minsk
He was a key administrator of the Telegram channel Nexta-Live, which had been covering mass protests denouncing the official results of the election.
Sapega has been accused of administering a Telegram channel that published the personal data of security forces, which have led a crackdown on the country’s pro-democracy movement, civil society, and independent media.
After their arrests, both Pratasevich and Sapega appeared in "confession" videos that their supporters said were recorded under duress and are a common tactic of the regime to pressure critics.
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'Wrong Place, Wrong Time'? The Woman Detained With Belarusian Activist After Flight Diverted To Minsk
Pratasevich remains under house arrest in Belarus awaiting trial.
Lukashenka's regime has been under international pressure since it launched a brutal crackdown in the wake of the disputed election.
The opposition says the election was rigged, while the EU, the United States, and other countries have refused to recognize the official results of the vote and do not consider Lukashenka to be the country's legitimate leader.
The United States, the European Union, Britain, and Canada have slapped several rounds of coordinated sanctions on Belarus.