NATO chief accuses Belarus of hijacking plane, calls for blogger's release

"There must be an urgent international investigation. And journalist Roman Protasevich and his companion Sofia Sapega must be immediately released," Stoltenberg said.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the forced landing of a passenger flight by Belarus amounted to state hijacking and called for both an urgent international investigation and the release of seized dissident journalist Roman Protasevich. "This is a state hijacking and demonstrates how the regime in Minsk attacks basic democratic rights and cracks down on freedom of expression and independent media," Stoltenberg said in a video statement, also welcoming European Union sanctions. "There must be an urgent international investigation. And journalist Roman Protasevich and his companion Sofia Sapega must be immediately released," he said.