Belarusian Blogger Pardoned After Forced Plane Landing, Extensive Prosecution

Roman Protasevich, an exiled Belarusian blogger, has been pardoned by Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko according to state media reports.
Protasevich was arrested in May 2021 after his Ryanair flight was forced to land in Minsk and was subsequently sentenced to eight years in prison for various offenses related to protests against Lukashenko.
Protasevich worked for the Telegram channel Nexta which extensively covered mass protests in Belarus in 2020 following a disputed presidential election.
Protasevich's arrest sparked international outrage and led to sanctions against Lukashenko's regime which has cracked down harshly on dissent and opposition.
Nearly 1,500 people have been imprisoned in Belarus for opposition activities according to human rights groups.