Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “The conclusions from the ICAO fact-finding report are clear. The report demonstrates that the regime in Belarus repeatedly denied requests for information and changed its testimony, hiding facts and the truth. The truth is that everything around the forced landing of the Ryanair plane was done by the regime, while Belarusians are not responsible for that. The regime that seized power in Belarus must bear the blame. The truth is on the side of the people of Belarus, and the report confirms this.
We had been trying to expedite the report’s release so it would be published as soon as possible. Yesterday, after its release, we sent a letter to the President of the ICAO Council so the organization could hear the position of Belarusians: two people – Raman Pratasevich and Sofia Sapega – are still held hostage by the regime.
We hope that ICAO will take a hard line to prevent such incidents from repeating in other countries. And the ICAO debate, set to take place on January 31, must be just the beginning of a process that will lead to a real investigation. It is the only way to reflect the position of Belarusians and protect the citizens of other countries, whose leadership can take advantage of illicit practices. Now, ICAO and the international community can either turn a blind eye to the lawlessness in aviation – or stop it. I am convinced that our partners will choose a constructive path that will ensure safety for the entire region”.
