The Facts
- Evan Neumann, wanted by the FBI on charges including striking police officers at the Jan. 6 riot in Washington, has been granted asylum in Belarus.
- Neumann fled the US one month after the riot and had sought asylum last year claiming he was facing political persecution in the US.
- First settled in Ukraine, Neumann traveled to Belarus on foot after noticing that Ukrainian authorities were watching him.
Sources Split
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The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Lukashenko's regime in Belarus is well-known for human rights abuses, yet it has granted asylum to a man facing legitimate charges. This is a political move intended to cover up domestic problems caused by the authoritarian regime and to fan anti-US propaganda narratives.
Pro-Russia narrative
Belarus, like Russia, is being demonized in the US media. The country has opened its arms to help an American-who has strenuously maintained his innocence-evade political persecution at the hands of the FBI.
