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Sofia Sapega: In May, the government critic in Belarus was sentenced to six years in prison
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Leonig Shcheglov / ITAR-TASS / IMAGO
Her case went around the world: last year the regime in Minsk forced a plane to land in order to arrest opposition figure Roman Protasevich and his then-girlfriend Sofia Sapega.
After a year in prison, the prominent government critic Sapega has now asked ruler Alexander Lukashenko for a pardon.
Russian-born Sofia Sapega was arrested in May last year when a European passenger plane was forced to land in Minsk.
According to a report by the BBC's Russian-language service, she wrote in the plea for clemency that her opposition activities were "due to youth and stupidity".
In the meantime she has "completely recognized the illegality and illegitimacy".
It remained unclear under what conditions the letter was written in detention.
Sapega was sentenced to six years in prison by the judiciary in the authoritarian country in May for running an opposition channel on the Telegram messenger service.
Her arrest - along with her then partner Protasevich - had attracted international attention.
The two were on a flight within Europe in a Ryanair plane that was forced to land over Belarusian territory.
The EU therefore imposed an airspace ban on Belarus.
Protasevich, former editor-in-chief of the opposition Telegram channel Nexta, had previously withdrawn his criticism of Lukashenko, the long-term ruler, from prison and apologized.
Observers attribute the supposed change of heart to massive pressure from the authorities.
Lukashenko was elected president for the sixth time in the summer of 2020, which led to nationwide protests.
The election is not recognized internationally because of suspected manipulation.
asc/dpa
