Belarus TV interviews with passengers of diverted plane

Belarusian state TV has aired brief interviews of alleged passengers of the Ryanair flight dramatically diverted to Minsk who disembarked in Belarus' capital.

The FR4978 flight heading from Athens to Vilnius was carrying an opposition Belarusian journalist Raman Pratasevich who was detained after the plane diverted and landed in Minsk, sparking an international outcry.

It's alleged that the 26-year-old Pratasevich, who ran a popular messaging app that played a key role in helping organize massive protests in the country, was at risk of being tortured while in custody.

Along with the journalist and his girlfriend, three passengers didn't continue their journey to Vilnius, which raised questions in international media and amongst opposition circles in Belarus.

Footage broadcast on Belarusian state TV channels and provided by the Belarus Interior Minister allegedly shows the passengers being interviewed by local authorities.

The three were identified as Iason Zisis, Aleksandra Stabredova and Sergey Kulakov.

The AP cannot verify the conditions under which the video was shot, nor whether what they say is true.

The other 121 travelers were kept at Minsk airport for four hours until their luggage and documents were checked and then flew to Vilnius.