The United States of America has finally announced that it will impose sanctions on Belarus after plane diversion.

News Alert: United States sanctions to target 9 Belarusian Enterprises

The Biden administration said on Friday, it is drawing up a list of targeted sanctions against key members of the Belarusian government following the former Soviet republic's forced landing of a passenger jet and arrest of a journalist on board.&nbsp;

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the United States was also suspending a 2019 agreement between Washington and Minsk that allowed carriers from each country to use the other's airspace, and taking other actions against the government of President Alexander Lukashenko.&nbsp;

In a statement, she called on Lukashenko to allow a credible international investigation into the events of May 23, when the Ryanair passenger jet flying from Greece to Lithuania was forced to land in Minsk.&nbsp;

Belarusian authorities scrambled a fighter jet and flagged what turned out to be a false bomb alert to force the plane to land, then detained an opposition journalist who was on board, drawing condemnation from Europe and the United States.&nbsp;

Psaki said the United States, with the EU and other allies, was developing a list of targeted sanctions against key members of Lukashenko's government 'associated with ongoing abuses of human rights and corruption, the falsification of the 2020 election, and the events of May 23'.&nbsp;

The United States last year, imposed sanctions on eight Belarus officials over an August 2020 election that the West said was rigged.&nbsp;

President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that sanctions against Belarus were 'in play', without giving details.&nbsp;

The Treasury Department will develop an executive order for Biden to sign that will provide increased authorities to impose sanctions on elements of Lukashenko's government, and the United States will re-impose 'full blocking sanctions' on nine Belarusian state-owned enterprises on June 3, prohibiting US persons from dealing with those businesses.&nbsp;

Last month, the United States revoked an authorisation for certain transactions with the nine sanctioned state-owned enterprises over alleged human rights violations and abuses.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

The Biden administration said on Friday, it is drawing up a list of targeted sanctions against key members of the Belarusian government following the former Soviet republic's forced landing of a passenger jet and arrest of a journalist on board.

The Biden administration said on Friday, it is drawing up a list of targeted sanctions against key members of the Belarusian government following the former Soviet republic's forced landing of a passenger jet and arrest of a journalist on board. White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the United States was also suspending a 2019 agreement between Washington and Minsk that allowed carriers from each country to use the other's airspace, and taking other actions against the government of President Alexander Lukashenko. In a statement, she called on Lukashenko to allow a credible international investigation into the events of May 23, when the Ryanair passenger jet flying from Greece to Lithuania was forced to land in Minsk. Belarusian authorities scrambled a fighter jet and flagged what turned out to be a false bomb alert to force the plane to land, then detained an opposition journalist who was on board, drawing condemnation from Europe and the United States. Psaki said the United States, with the EU and other allies, was developing a list of targeted sanctions against key members of Lukashenko's government 'associated with ongoing abuses of human rights and corruption, the falsification of the 2020 election, and the events of May 23'. The United States last year, imposed sanctions on eight Belarus officials over an August 2020 election that the West said was rigged. President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that sanctions against Belarus were 'in play', without giving details. The Treasury Department will develop an executive order for Biden to sign that will provide increased authorities to impose sanctions on elements of Lukashenko's government, and the United States will re-impose 'full blocking sanctions' on nine Belarusian state-owned enterprises on June 3, prohibiting US persons from dealing with those businesses. Last month, the United States revoked an authorisation for certain transactions with the nine sanctioned state-owned enterprises over alleged human rights violations and abuses. (With inputs from agencies)

US drawing up targeted sanctions on Belarus officials after plane incident 

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarus strongman Alexander Lukashenko will meet on Friday after UN civil aviation agency announced it will investigate the diversion of a passenger plane and the arrest of a journalist on board in a growing diplomatic row.

Lukashenko heads to Russia amid global backlash over Belarus plane diversion

The mother of Belarusian journalist and political activist Raman Pratasevich has appealed for international help to free her son and asked her son to stay strong.

Belarus: Mother of detained journalist asks her son to stay strong

The European Union is mulling sanctions on Belarus after the forced landing of a passenger plane and the detention of a journalist. The bloc's foreign policy chief Joseph Borrell said EU is intent on making Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko pay a high price for the forced landing of a European airliner to arrest the regime opponents.

EU looks to pressurise Belarus with crippling sanctions

The United States (US) and allies on Thursday called on International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to probe Belarus plane incident in which a Rayanair plane was forced to land, reported Reuters quoting a source. Belarus denies any coercion.

The 36-nation governing council of ICAO met&nbsp;in order to examine demands for a probe. Poland, Ireland, Britain, Germany and Canada also backed the call for a probe.

On Sunday, Belarus sent fighter jet to force Athens-Vilnius (Lithuania) passenger plane to land in Belarus. A dissident onboard the plane was then detained. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

The incident sparked international outrage and calls for sanctions against Belarus. Minsk accused the West of using the episode to wage "hybrid war."

Belarus told the meeting that the airliner had not been forced down.

The plane was ordered to land minutes before it was due to leave Belarusian airspace.

Lithuania asked why passengers on board the plane had not been evacuated after landing, which is the normal practice for bomb scares, said the source.

The ICAO meeting was due to end at 1 pm ET (1700 GMT) but might not have an agreed statement ready until Friday, spokesman Anthony Philbin said by email. The council has limited powers of investigation.

(With inputs from agencies)

The United States (US) and allies on Thursday called on International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to probe Belarus plane incident in which a Rayanair plane was forced to land, reported Reuters quoting a source.

The United States (US) and allies on Thursday called on International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to probe Belarus plane incident in which a Rayanair plane was forced to land, reported Reuters quoting a source. Belarus denies any coercion. The 36-nation governing council of ICAO met in order to examine demands for a probe. Poland, Ireland, Britain, Germany and Canada also backed the call for a probe. On Sunday, Belarus sent fighter jet to force Athens-Vilnius (Lithuania) passenger plane to land in Belarus. A dissident onboard the plane was then detained. The incident sparked international outrage and calls for sanctions against Belarus. Minsk accused the West of using the episode to wage "hybrid war." Belarus told the meeting that the airliner had not been forced down. The plane was ordered to land minutes before it was due to leave Belarusian airspace. Lithuania asked why passengers on board the plane had not been evacuated after landing, which is the normal practice for bomb scares, said the source. The ICAO meeting was due to end at 1 pm ET (1700 GMT) but might not have an agreed statement ready until Friday, spokesman Anthony Philbin said by email. The council has limited powers of investigation. (With inputs from agencies)

UN aviation body may probe Belarus plane forced landing incident

Turkey pushed NATO allies into watering down an official reaction to the forced landing by Belarus of a passenger plane and the detention of a dissident journalist on Sunday, two diplomats familiar with the matter told Reuters.

NATO's 30 allies released a two-paragraph statement on Wednesday condemning the forcing down of a Ryanair flight to arrest journalist Roman Protasevich but did not include any punitive steps that Baltic allies and Poland had pressed for.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-indication-kgb-agents-were-on-flight-diverted-to-belarus-greece-387862">'No indication' KGB agents were on flight diverted to Belarus: Greece</a>

The statement was also less strident than NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg's public remarks. He called the incident a "state hijacking" and "outrageous".

Ankara insisted that any mention of support for more Western sanctions on Belarus, and calls for the release of political prisoners there, would be left out of the text, the two diplomats said. Language threatening a suspension of NATO's cooperation with Belarus was also removed, they added.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/belarus-opposition-leader-accuses-lukashenko-of-turning-country-into-north-korea-of-europe-387485">Belarus opposition leader accuses Lukashenko of turning country into 'North Korea of Europe'</a>

Turkey's motives were not immediately clear.

Diplomats said Ankara might be trying to preserve ties with Moscow, Belarus' closest ally, and maintain economic relations with Belarus via Turkish Airlines, which has daily flights to Minsk. Another possibility could be Turkey's keenness to welcome Russian tourists this summer after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/airlines-re-route-to-avoid-belarus-opposition-says-journalist-beaten-387395">Airlines re-route to avoid Belarus, opposition says journalist beaten</a>&nbsp;

A spike in coronavirus infections last month and a flurry of foreign travel warnings have wiped out many early bookings and raised prospects of another lost tourist season for Turkey, which relies on the cash inflow to fund its heavy foreign debt.

The Turkish foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kremlin-dismisses-notion-of-alleged-russian-involvement-in-belarus-plane-incident-387266">Kremlin dismisses notion of alleged Russian involvement in Belarus plane incident</a>

A NATO official said: "The statement by the North Atlantic Council on Belarus was agreed by all 30 Allies by consensus. We do not go into the details of discussions in the North Atlantic Council, which are confidential."

One of the diplomats said Stoltenberg had won the agreement of all allies, including Turkey, for the final text, published on NATO's website, to avoid further public divisions.

Upset

Turkey's insistence on a watered-down text upset a number of allies, particularly Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, which had pushed for tougher wording, the diplomats said.

A third diplomat said Ankara's pushback was mainly aimed at using a different wording to that of the European Union, which detailed proposals for sanctions. These included a ban on the overflight of EU airspace by Belarusian airlines, preventing Belarusian airlines from using EU airports and calling on EU airlines to avoid Belarus.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/un-top-aviation-body-icao-to-hold-urgent-meet-over-belarus-plane-diversion-387712/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Turkey is not an EU member, though it has been a candidate for many years.

"Many allies were very frustrated with Turkey. It was important for NATO to respond and it is not clear why Ankara should want to defend (Belarusian President Alexander) Lukashenko," said a European diplomat present at the discussion.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/belarus-plane-crisis-tightens-lukashenkos-awkward-embrace-of-putin-387605">Belarus plane crisis tightens Lukashenko’s awkward embrace of Putin</a>

Turkey has become a more difficult partner in recent years for some NATO allies, clashing with France over Turkish policy in Libya, with the United States on Syria and with Greece over energy rights in the Mediterranean.

Turkey has also bought air defence missiles from Russia, which NATO says is an adversary trying to destabilise the West.

The United States and European Union have criticised what they see as a slide towards more authoritarian rule under President Tayyip Erdogan, especially since a failed 2016 coup.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lukashenko-defiant-as-un-security-council-to-meet-over-belarus-387455">Lukashenko defiant as UN Security Council to meet over Belarus</a>

But Turkey, which has the second largest military in NATO and is in a strategic location between Europe and the Middle East and with coasts on the Black and Mediterranean Seas, is too big and important for the EU or the United States to ignore.

Ankara has said repeatedly it supports NATO but that it has the right to pursue its own sovereign foreign policy.

Turkey pushed NATO allies into watering down an official reaction to the forced landing by Belarus of a passenger plane and the detention of a dissident journalist on Sunday, two diplomats familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Turkey pushed NATO allies into watering down an official reaction to the forced landing by Belarus of a passenger plane and the detention of a dissident journalist on Sunday, two diplomats familiar with the matter told Reuters. NATO's 30 allies released a two-paragraph statement on Wednesday condemning the forcing down of a Ryanair flight to arrest journalist Roman Protasevich but did not include any punitive steps that Baltic allies and Poland had pressed for. Also Read | 'No indication' KGB agents were on flight diverted to Belarus: Greece The statement was also less strident than NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg's public remarks. He called the incident a "state hijacking" and "outrageous". Ankara insisted that any mention of support for more Western sanctions on Belarus, and calls for the release of political prisoners there, would be left out of the text, the two diplomats said. Language threatening a suspension of NATO's cooperation with Belarus was also removed, they added. Also Read | Belarus opposition leader accuses Lukashenko of turning country into 'North Korea of Europe' Turkey's motives were not immediately clear. Diplomats said Ankara might be trying to preserve ties with Moscow, Belarus' closest ally, and maintain economic relations with Belarus via Turkish Airlines, which has daily flights to Minsk. Another possibility could be Turkey's keenness to welcome Russian tourists this summer after the COVID-19 pandemic. Also Read | Airlines re-route to avoid Belarus, opposition says journalist beaten A spike in coronavirus infections last month and a flurry of foreign travel warnings have wiped out many early bookings and raised prospects of another lost tourist season for Turkey, which relies on the cash inflow to fund its heavy foreign debt. The Turkish foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Also Read | Kremlin dismisses notion of alleged Russian involvement in Belarus plane incident A NATO official said: "The statement by the North Atlantic Council on Belarus was agreed by all 30 Allies by consensus. We do not go into the details of discussions in the North Atlantic Council, which are confidential." One of the diplomats said Stoltenberg had won the agreement of all allies, including Turkey, for the final text, published on NATO's website, to avoid further public divisions. Upset Turkey's insistence on a watered-down text upset a number of allies, particularly Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, which had pushed for tougher wording, the diplomats said. A third diplomat said Ankara's pushback was mainly aimed at using a different wording to that of the European Union, which detailed proposals for sanctions. These included a ban on the overflight of EU airspace by Belarusian airlines, preventing Belarusian airlines from using EU airports and calling on EU airlines to avoid Belarus. Turkey is not an EU member, though it has been a candidate for many years. "Many allies were very frustrated with Turkey. It was important for NATO to respond and it is not clear why Ankara should want to defend (Belarusian President Alexander) Lukashenko," said a European diplomat present at the discussion. Also Read | Belarus plane crisis tightens Lukashenko’s awkward embrace of Putin Turkey has become a more difficult partner in recent years for some NATO allies, clashing with France over Turkish policy in Libya, with the United States on Syria and with Greece over energy rights in the Mediterranean. Turkey has also bought air defence missiles from Russia, which NATO says is an adversary trying to destabilise the West. The United States and European Union have criticised what they see as a slide towards more authoritarian rule under President Tayyip Erdogan, especially since a failed 2016 coup. Also Read | Lukashenko defiant as UN Security Council to meet over Belarus But Turkey, which has the second largest military in NATO and is in a strategic location between Europe and the Middle East and with coasts on the Black and Mediterranean Seas, is too big and important for the EU or the United States to ignore. Ankara has said repeatedly it supports NATO but that it has the right to pursue its own sovereign foreign policy.

Turkey pushed NATO allies into softening outrage over Belarus plane, diplomats say

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Thursday that there were no indications that Belarusian KGB or any other secret service agents were on the Athens-Vilnius flight that was diverted to Minsk in order to arrest a dissident on board. He was speaking during an interview with German tabloid

"We have no indication there were KGB agents or any security service agents on board the plane. None. Zero. And we investigated it very carefully," Kyriakos Mitsotakis told Germany tabloid Bild.

Last Sunday, Belarus sent a fighter jet to force the Ryanair passenger flight to land in Mink. Roman Protasevich, a dissident activist who was onboard was then detained by Belarus authorities.

Mitsotakis said the plane diversion, which Belarus claimed was due to a supposed bomb threat, was "an act of state-sponsored piracy" with the sole purpose of arresting Protasevich.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/g7-calls-for-immediate-and-unconditional-release-of-belarus-journalist-387858">G7 calls for 'immediate and unconditional' release of Belarus journalist</a> 
 
Belarus opposition figures and Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary have suggested that members of the Belarusian security agency, still known as the KGB, were on the flight and also deboarded in Minsk.

But Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has dismissed the claim.

Detention of Roman Protasevich led to strong condemnation from western countries.

(With inputs from agencies)

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Thursday that there were no indications that Belarusian KGB or any other secret service agents were on the Athens-Vilnius flight that was diverted to Minsk in order to arrest a dissident on board.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Thursday that there were no indications that Belarusian KGB or any other secret service agents were on the Athens-Vilnius flight that was diverted to Minsk in order to arrest a dissident on board. He was speaking during an interview with German tabloid "We have no indication there were KGB agents or any security service agents on board the plane. None. Zero. And we investigated it very carefully," Kyriakos Mitsotakis told Germany tabloid Bild. Last Sunday, Belarus sent a fighter jet to force the Ryanair passenger flight to land in Mink. Roman Protasevich, a dissident activist who was onboard was then detained by Belarus authorities. Mitsotakis said the plane diversion, which Belarus claimed was due to a supposed bomb threat, was "an act of state-sponsored piracy" with the sole purpose of arresting Protasevich. Also Read | G7 calls for 'immediate and unconditional' release of Belarus journalist Belarus opposition figures and Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary have suggested that members of the Belarusian security agency, still known as the KGB, were on the flight and also deboarded in Minsk. But Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has dismissed the claim. Detention of Roman Protasevich led to strong condemnation from western countries. (With inputs from agencies)

'No indication' KGB agents were on flight diverted to Belarus: Greece

The Group of Seven (G7) wealthy economies condemned Belarus on Thursday for forcing a passenger plane to land so the authorities could arrest a journalist on board.

"This action jeopardised the safety of the passengers and crew of the flight. It was also a serious attack on the rules governing civil aviation," said the statement, issued by Britain's foreign office on behalf of foreign ministers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States and Britain.

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"We will enhance our efforts, including through further sanctions as appropriate, to promote accountability for the actions of the Belarusian authorities."

"We demand the immediate and unconditional release" of Roman Protasevich, "as well as all other journalists and political prisoners held in&nbsp;Belarus," the ministers said in a joint statement published by the British government.

International disapproval of&nbsp;Belarus&nbsp;and its president, Alexander Lukashenko, has increased since the regime diverted a Ryanair jet on Sunday to arrest Protasevich, an opposition journalist, and his companion, Sofia Sopega, who were both on board.

The G7 ministers accused Lukashenko of jeopardising the safety of the passengers and crew on the flight.&nbsp;

"We call on the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to urgently address this challenge to its rules and standards," said the statement.

"This action also represents a serious attack on media freedom," it added.&nbsp;

"We will enhance our efforts, including through further sanctions as appropriate, to promote accountability for the actions of the Belarusian authorities."

Dominic Raab, foreign minister for Britain, which currently holds the G7 presidency, wrote on Twitter that "we will use all the tools at our disposal to hold the Lukashenko regime to account".

(With inputs from agencies)

The Group of Seven (G7) wealthy economies condemned Belarus on Thursday for forcing a passenger plane to land so the authorities could arrest a journalist on board.

The Group of Seven (G7) wealthy economies condemned Belarus on Thursday for forcing a passenger plane to land so the authorities could arrest a journalist on board. "This action jeopardised the safety of the passengers and crew of the flight. It was also a serious attack on the rules governing civil aviation," said the statement, issued by Britain's foreign office on behalf of foreign ministers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States and Britain. "We will enhance our efforts, including through further sanctions as appropriate, to promote accountability for the actions of the Belarusian authorities." "We demand the immediate and unconditional release" of Roman Protasevich, "as well as all other journalists and political prisoners held in Belarus," the ministers said in a joint statement published by the British government. International disapproval of Belarus and its president, Alexander Lukashenko, has increased since the regime diverted a Ryanair jet on Sunday to arrest Protasevich, an opposition journalist, and his companion, Sofia Sopega, who were both on board. The G7 ministers accused Lukashenko of jeopardising the safety of the passengers and crew on the flight. "We call on the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to urgently address this challenge to its rules and standards," said the statement. "This action also represents a serious attack on media freedom," it added. "We will enhance our efforts, including through further sanctions as appropriate, to promote accountability for the actions of the Belarusian authorities." Dominic Raab, foreign minister for Britain, which currently holds the G7 presidency, wrote on Twitter that "we will use all the tools at our disposal to hold the Lukashenko regime to account". (With inputs from agencies)

G7 calls for 'immediate and unconditional' release of Belarus journalist

The UN civil aviation agency will hold an urgent meeting on Thursday to discuss Belarus after Western powers on the UN Security Council called for the body to investigate Minsk's diversion of a European flight and arrest of a dissident.

UN civil aviation agency ICAO to meet over Belarus plane diversion

The ICAO, the United Nations Civil Aviation Agency, will hold an urgent meeting to discuss Belarus plane diversion on Thursday, when Western powers in the UN Security Council called on the body to investigate Minsk's European flight diversion and the arrest of a dissident.

UN top aviation body ICAO to hold urgent meet over Belarus plane diversion

Detained journalist Roman Protasevich has appeared in a new video after his arrest by Belarusian authorities on Sunday, following the government's extraordinary diversion of his Ryanair flight to capital city Minsk.

Belarus condemned globally after journalist Roman Protasevich's detention

Airlines re-routed flights to avoid Belarus's airspace on Tuesday and Belarusian planes faced a possible ban from Europe, as international outrage mounted over Minsk forcing down a jetliner and arresting a dissident journalist on board.&nbsp;

Western nations accused Belarus of hijacking and piracy over the interception of the Ryanair plane as it crossed the country on a flight from Greece to Lithuania, and diplomats said France, Ireland and Estonia would raise the incident at a private meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday.&nbsp;

"The behaviour of the Belarus regime is outrageous, illegal, and completely unacceptable ... we also condemn this kind of dangerous interference in civil aviation," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters.&nbsp;

A video released overnight showed 26-year-old Roman Protasevich, who was pulled from the passenger plane after Belarus scrambled a warplane to escort it to Minsk on Sunday, confessing to having organised anti-government demonstrations.&nbsp;

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the video was 'concerning'. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko must pay a 'bitter price' for detaining Protasevich.&nbsp;

Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said the footage showed Protasevich had been tortured.&nbsp;

"He said that he was treated lawfully, but he's clearly beaten and under pressure. There is no doubt that he was tortured. He was taken hostage," she told a news conference in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius.&nbsp;

Belarus did not immediately comment on the torture allegation but has consistently denied abusing detainees.&nbsp;

Rights groups have documented hundreds of cases of what they describe as abuse and forced confessions during a crackdown on pro-democracy opponents of Lukashenko since last year.&nbsp;

Lukashenko, whose opponents accuse him of rigging an August 2020 election, has so far shrugged off Western sanctions, which mostly consist of barring various officials from travelling or doing business in the United States and EU.&nbsp;

The Belarusian leader enjoys financial and security support from Russia.&nbsp;

The White House said President Joe Biden would discuss the incident with Russian President Vladimir Putin at their summit next month, but added the United States did not believe Moscow had played any role in it.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Belarusian authorities on Tuesday released a transcript of a conversation between the plane and an air traffic controller in which the pilot repeatedly questioned information about the threat before agreeing to land at Minsk.&nbsp;

The transcript, which could not be verified independently, differs from excerpts previously released by Belarus state TV, which had suggested the pilot had asked to land in Minsk, rather than that the controller had advised him to do so.&nbsp;

In response to Minsk's actions, the European air traffic control agency, Eurocontrol, recommended that EU and British carriers that fly over Belarus should re-route via the Baltic states.&nbsp;

Britain also said it was banning Belarusian airlines from entering its airspace.&nbsp;

European Union leaders at a summit on Monday had called for airlines based in the 27-member bloc to halt flights over Belarusian airspace, which is along a major corridor connecting Europe and Asia and earns hard currency from overflight rights.&nbsp;

Lufthansa, KLM, SAS, Air France, LOT and Singapore Airlines were among carriers that announced they would stop flying over Belarus.&nbsp;

Belgium's Charles Michel, who chairs EU summits, tweeted 'Europe in action', with a picture of a flight tracker map of the continent showing no planes flying over Belarus.&nbsp;

EU leaders also directed officials to draw up unspecified new sanctions against Belarus, and to work out a way to ban Belarusian airlines from the bloc's skies.&nbsp;

Belarus's neighbour, Ukraine, announced a ban on flights to or from Belarus, and on its own airlines using Belarusian airspace.&nbsp;

"If we let this go, tomorrow Alexander Lukashenko will go further and do something even more arrogant, more cruel," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in a statement.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Airlines re-routed flights to avoid Belarus's airspace on Tuesday and Belarusian planes faced a possible ban from Europe, as international outrage mounted over Minsk forcing down a jetliner and arresting a dissident journalist on board.

Airlines re-routed flights to avoid Belarus's airspace on Tuesday and Belarusian planes faced a possible ban from Europe, as international outrage mounted over Minsk forcing down a jetliner and arresting a dissident journalist on board. Western nations accused Belarus of hijacking and piracy over the interception of the Ryanair plane as it crossed the country on a flight from Greece to Lithuania, and diplomats said France, Ireland and Estonia would raise the incident at a private meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday. "The behaviour of the Belarus regime is outrageous, illegal, and completely unacceptable ... we also condemn this kind of dangerous interference in civil aviation," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters. A video released overnight showed 26-year-old Roman Protasevich, who was pulled from the passenger plane after Belarus scrambled a warplane to escort it to Minsk on Sunday, confessing to having organised anti-government demonstrations. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the video was 'concerning'. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko must pay a 'bitter price' for detaining Protasevich. Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said the footage showed Protasevich had been tortured. "He said that he was treated lawfully, but he's clearly beaten and under pressure. There is no doubt that he was tortured. He was taken hostage," she told a news conference in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius. Belarus did not immediately comment on the torture allegation but has consistently denied abusing detainees. Rights groups have documented hundreds of cases of what they describe as abuse and forced confessions during a crackdown on pro-democracy opponents of Lukashenko since last year. Lukashenko, whose opponents accuse him of rigging an August 2020 election, has so far shrugged off Western sanctions, which mostly consist of barring various officials from travelling or doing business in the United States and EU. The Belarusian leader enjoys financial and security support from Russia. The White House said President Joe Biden would discuss the incident with Russian President Vladimir Putin at their summit next month, but added the United States did not believe Moscow had played any role in it. Meanwhile, Belarusian authorities on Tuesday released a transcript of a conversation between the plane and an air traffic controller in which the pilot repeatedly questioned information about the threat before agreeing to land at Minsk. The transcript, which could not be verified independently, differs from excerpts previously released by Belarus state TV, which had suggested the pilot had asked to land in Minsk, rather than that the controller had advised him to do so. In response to Minsk's actions, the European air traffic control agency, Eurocontrol, recommended that EU and British carriers that fly over Belarus should re-route via the Baltic states. Britain also said it was banning Belarusian airlines from entering its airspace. European Union leaders at a summit on Monday had called for airlines based in the 27-member bloc to halt flights over Belarusian airspace, which is along a major corridor connecting Europe and Asia and earns hard currency from overflight rights. Lufthansa, KLM, SAS, Air France, LOT and Singapore Airlines were among carriers that announced they would stop flying over Belarus. Belgium's Charles Michel, who chairs EU summits, tweeted 'Europe in action', with a picture of a flight tracker map of the continent showing no planes flying over Belarus. EU leaders also directed officials to draw up unspecified new sanctions against Belarus, and to work out a way to ban Belarusian airlines from the bloc's skies. Belarus's neighbour, Ukraine, announced a ban on flights to or from Belarus, and on its own airlines using Belarusian airspace. "If we let this go, tomorrow Alexander Lukashenko will go further and do something even more arrogant, more cruel," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in a statement. (With inputs from agencies)

Airlines re-route to avoid Belarus, opposition says journalist beaten 

European operators are re-routing their flights to avoid Belarus after a Ryanair flight was diverted to arrest a Lukashenko critic. In Brussels, EU leaders have approved a fresh round of sanctions. Will they be enough to prompt the release of Roman Protasevich? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Belarus airspace deserted after EU boycott

A defiant President Lukashenko will address Belarus' parliament on Wednesday as international pressure over the country's diversion of an airliner in order to arrest a dissident grows, with the UN Security Council set to meet behind closed doors later. &nbsp;

The speech to parliament will be the first time the Belarusian leader has spoken in public since Sunday's rerouting of a Ryanair flight to Minsk and the subsequent arrest of opposition journalist Roman Protasevich.&nbsp;

After weathering a wave of protests and Western sanctions last year, Lukashenko is facing renewed pressure over the incident, with Western leaders demanding Protasevich's release, and the European Union cutting air links with the increasingly isolated nation.&nbsp;

But a diplomat said it was unlikely the Security Council would agree on a collective statement at Wednesday's meeting, because Belarus' unwavering supporter Russia was expected to be in opposition.&nbsp;

Moscow has dismissed the outrage over the arrest, saying Belarus was acting reasonably and within the law when the plane was diverted.&nbsp;

The Belarusian transport ministry on Tuesday released a transcript of communications between Minsk air traffic control and the Ryanair flight, in which the crew was told 'you have a bomb on board' and urged it to land in Minsk. &nbsp;

The claim of a genuine bomb scare has been dismissed by Western leaders. &nbsp;

On Tuesday, Protasevich's mother said she had not slept since her son and his Russian girlfriend Sofia Sapega were arrested after the Athens-to-Vilnius flight landed in Minsk. &nbsp;

"I'm asking, I'm begging, I'm calling on the whole international community to save him," Natalia Protasevich said, weeping. "They're going to kill him in there!"&nbsp;

Protasevich, 26, was a co-founder of the Nexta Telegram channel, which helped organise the protests last year that were the biggest challenge to Lukashenko's long rule.&nbsp;

He had been living between Poland and Lithuania.&nbsp;

His parents said they think their son might now be in a detention centre run by the secret service, still known as the KGB.&nbsp;

"The lawyer tried to see him today but she was turned down, she could not see him. We still don’t know if he is in there, what his condition is, how he is feeling," said his father Dmitry.&nbsp;

A 30-second video of Protasevich was broadcast by state television late on Monday, in which he confirmed that he was in prison in Minsk and "confessed" to charges of organising mass unrest.&nbsp;

With dark markings visible on his forehead, he said he was being treated "according to the law".&nbsp;

But Dmitry said it appeared that his son had been harmed.&nbsp;

"He would never speak like that. Those were not his words... he was reading something out that he was told to read out," he said.&nbsp;

Opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya urged the international community to do more in a call with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.&nbsp;

"This is the time to act," she said. "Suspension of flights over Belarus doesn't solve the real problem. The problem is the terrorist regime that rigged elections last year."&nbsp;

US President Joe Biden, who is scheduled to meet with Putin in June, said Washington was looking at "appropriate options to hold accountable those responsible". &nbsp;

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday the EU must "profoundly redefine" its relationship with Russia and Belarus because "we are at the limits of sanctions policy", whilst German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas warned that Lukashenko would pay "a bitter price" for the "heinous" flight diversion.&nbsp;

The UN rights office and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson joined calls for Protasevich to be released, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he would "strongly support action through all available international institutions", including NATO.&nbsp;

The European Union has agreed to ban Belarusian airlines from the bloc and called on EU-based carriers not to fly over its airspace.&nbsp;

Air France, Finnair and Singapore Airlines were the latest carriers to suspend flights over Belarus, following Scandinavian airline SAS, Germany's Lufthansa and Latvia-based regional airline airBaltic.&nbsp;

Lukashenko and his allies are already under a series of Western sanctions over the brutal crackdown on the protests that followed his disputed re-election to a sixth term last August.&nbsp;

EU leaders on Monday warned they would adopt further "targeted economic sanctions" against the Belarusian authorities to add to the 88 regime figures and seven companies on a blacklist.&nbsp;

The protests lasted for months with tens of thousands taking to the streets to denounce Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus with an iron fist for over two decades.&nbsp;

The demonstrations were brutally quashed and thousands were detained -- many of whom reported torture and abuse in custody.&nbsp;

Many protest leaders, including Tikhanovskaya who claimed victory in the August vote, fled the country, and the demonstrations have dwindled.&nbsp;

In Minsk, many welcomed the European flight bans, saying Belarusians were largely unable to travel anyway and more pressure was needed for change.&nbsp;

"An ordinary Belarusian will not suffer from this. Ordinary Belarusians cannot afford flights," said Valentina, a retired teacher who like others was afraid to give her last name.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

A defiant President Lukashenko will address Belarus' parliament on Wednesday as international pressure over the country's diversion of an airliner in order to arrest a dissident grows, with the UN Security Council set to meet behind closed doors later.

A defiant President Lukashenko will address Belarus' parliament on Wednesday as international pressure over the country's diversion of an airliner in order to arrest a dissident grows, with the UN Security Council set to meet behind closed doors later. The speech to parliament will be the first time the Belarusian leader has spoken in public since Sunday's rerouting of a Ryanair flight to Minsk and the subsequent arrest of opposition journalist Roman Protasevich. After weathering a wave of protests and Western sanctions last year, Lukashenko is facing renewed pressure over the incident, with Western leaders demanding Protasevich's release, and the European Union cutting air links with the increasingly isolated nation. But a diplomat said it was unlikely the Security Council would agree on a collective statement at Wednesday's meeting, because Belarus' unwavering supporter Russia was expected to be in opposition. Moscow has dismissed the outrage over the arrest, saying Belarus was acting reasonably and within the law when the plane was diverted. The Belarusian transport ministry on Tuesday released a transcript of communications between Minsk air traffic control and the Ryanair flight, in which the crew was told 'you have a bomb on board' and urged it to land in Minsk. The claim of a genuine bomb scare has been dismissed by Western leaders. On Tuesday, Protasevich's mother said she had not slept since her son and his Russian girlfriend Sofia Sapega were arrested after the Athens-to-Vilnius flight landed in Minsk. "I'm asking, I'm begging, I'm calling on the whole international community to save him," Natalia Protasevich said, weeping. "They're going to kill him in there!" Protasevich, 26, was a co-founder of the Nexta Telegram channel, which helped organise the protests last year that were the biggest challenge to Lukashenko's long rule. He had been living between Poland and Lithuania. His parents said they think their son might now be in a detention centre run by the secret service, still known as the KGB. "The lawyer tried to see him today but she was turned down, she could not see him. We still don’t know if he is in there, what his condition is, how he is feeling," said his father Dmitry. A 30-second video of Protasevich was broadcast by state television late on Monday, in which he confirmed that he was in prison in Minsk and "confessed" to charges of organising mass unrest. With dark markings visible on his forehead, he said he was being treated "according to the law". But Dmitry said it appeared that his son had been harmed. "He would never speak like that. Those were not his words... he was reading something out that he was told to read out," he said. Opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya urged the international community to do more in a call with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. "This is the time to act," she said. "Suspension of flights over Belarus doesn't solve the real problem. The problem is the terrorist regime that rigged elections last year." US President Joe Biden, who is scheduled to meet with Putin in June, said Washington was looking at "appropriate options to hold accountable those responsible". French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday the EU must "profoundly redefine" its relationship with Russia and Belarus because "we are at the limits of sanctions policy", whilst German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas warned that Lukashenko would pay "a bitter price" for the "heinous" flight diversion. The UN rights office and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson joined calls for Protasevich to be released, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he would "strongly support action through all available international institutions", including NATO. The European Union has agreed to ban Belarusian airlines from the bloc and called on EU-based carriers not to fly over its airspace. Air France, Finnair and Singapore Airlines were the latest carriers to suspend flights over Belarus, following Scandinavian airline SAS, Germany's Lufthansa and Latvia-based regional airline airBaltic. Lukashenko and his allies are already under a series of Western sanctions over the brutal crackdown on the protests that followed his disputed re-election to a sixth term last August. EU leaders on Monday warned they would adopt further "targeted economic sanctions" against the Belarusian authorities to add to the 88 regime figures and seven companies on a blacklist. The protests lasted for months with tens of thousands taking to the streets to denounce Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus with an iron fist for over two decades. The demonstrations were brutally quashed and thousands were detained -- many of whom reported torture and abuse in custody. Many protest leaders, including Tikhanovskaya who claimed victory in the August vote, fled the country, and the demonstrations have dwindled. In Minsk, many welcomed the European flight bans, saying Belarusians were largely unable to travel anyway and more pressure was needed for change. "An ordinary Belarusian will not suffer from this. Ordinary Belarusians cannot afford flights," said Valentina, a retired teacher who like others was afraid to give her last name. (With inputs from agencies)

Lukashenko defiant as UN Security Council to meet over Belarus 

Western powers prepared to pile sanctions on Belarus and cut off its aviation links on Monday, furious after it scrambled a warplane to intercept a Ryanair aircraft and arrest a dissident journalist, an act one official denounced as 'state piracy'.&nbsp;

In a video posted online, the detained blogger&nbsp;Roman Protasevich, 26, said he was in good health, being held in a pretrial detention facility in Minsk, and acknowledged having played a role in organising mass disturbances in the capital last year.&nbsp;

In the video on the Telegram messaging app, he wore a dark sweatshirt and clasped his hands tightly in front of him. The comments were immediately dismissed by his allies, including his father, as having been made under duress.&nbsp;

A Polish deputy foreign minister, Pawel Jablonski, told private broadcaster TVN24 that his government had heard from Protasevich's mother about his being in poor health, but provided no details.&nbsp;

Belarus' interior ministry said Protasevich was being held in jail and had not complained of ill health.&nbsp;

US President Joe Biden on Monday condemned Belarus for its actions and said he had asked his advisers to give him options to hold those responsible to account.&nbsp;

US national security adviser Jake Sullivan, in a call on Monday with exiled Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, said the United States had "strong support for the demands of the Belarusian people for democracy, human rights, and fundamental freedoms," the White House said.&nbsp;

European Union leaders meeting in Brussels called for Belarusian airlines to be banned from the 27-nation bloc's airspace and urged EU-based carriers to avoid flying over the former Soviet republic, according to a joint statement.&nbsp;

They also agreed to widen the list of Belarusian individuals they already sanction and called on the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to urgently investigate Belarus forcing a Ryanair plane to land in Minsk on a Greece-Lithuania flight on Sunday.&nbsp;

"The reaction should be swift and be severe," Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo told journalists ahead of the EU summit.&nbsp;

Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney, using language that was echoed by a number of other EU countries, said: "This was effectively aviation piracy, state sponsored."&nbsp;

The EU and other Western countries also called for the release of Protasevich, who was detained when the plane landed.&nbsp;

His social media feed from exile has been one of the last remaining independent outlets for news about Belarus since a mass crackdown on dissent last year. Sofia Sapega, a 23-year-old student travelling with him, was also detained.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Western powers prepared to pile sanctions on Belarus and cut off its aviation links on Monday, furious after it scrambled a warplane to intercept a Ryanair aircraft and arrest a dissident journalist, an act one official denounced as 'state piracy'.

Western powers prepared to pile sanctions on Belarus and cut off its aviation links on Monday, furious after it scrambled a warplane to intercept a Ryanair aircraft and arrest a dissident journalist, an act one official denounced as 'state piracy'. In a video posted online, the detained blogger Roman Protasevich, 26, said he was in good health, being held in a pretrial detention facility in Minsk, and acknowledged having played a role in organising mass disturbances in the capital last year. In the video on the Telegram messaging app, he wore a dark sweatshirt and clasped his hands tightly in front of him. The comments were immediately dismissed by his allies, including his father, as having been made under duress. A Polish deputy foreign minister, Pawel Jablonski, told private broadcaster TVN24 that his government had heard from Protasevich's mother about his being in poor health, but provided no details. Belarus' interior ministry said Protasevich was being held in jail and had not complained of ill health. US President Joe Biden on Monday condemned Belarus for its actions and said he had asked his advisers to give him options to hold those responsible to account. US national security adviser Jake Sullivan, in a call on Monday with exiled Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, said the United States had "strong support for the demands of the Belarusian people for democracy, human rights, and fundamental freedoms," the White House said. European Union leaders meeting in Brussels called for Belarusian airlines to be banned from the 27-nation bloc's airspace and urged EU-based carriers to avoid flying over the former Soviet republic, according to a joint statement. They also agreed to widen the list of Belarusian individuals they already sanction and called on the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to urgently investigate Belarus forcing a Ryanair plane to land in Minsk on a Greece-Lithuania flight on Sunday. "The reaction should be swift and be severe," Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo told journalists ahead of the EU summit. Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney, using language that was echoed by a number of other EU countries, said: "This was effectively aviation piracy, state sponsored." The EU and other Western countries also called for the release of Protasevich, who was detained when the plane landed. His social media feed from exile has been one of the last remaining independent outlets for news about Belarus since a mass crackdown on dissent last year. Sofia Sapega, a 23-year-old student travelling with him, was also detained. (With inputs from agencies)

Belarus faces new sanctions from West over forced landing of plane, arrest of journalist 

Belarus and its President Alexander Lukashenko continued facing global flak over the Ryanair plane incident. Late on Sunday (Indian time), Belarus sent a fighter jet to divert a Lithuania-bound plane and forced it to land in Belarus. The authorities then swooped in and arrested Roman Protasevich (26) an activist who until recently had run the Nexta telegram channel that galvanised huge protests against Alexander Lukashenko

In very early hours of Monday (Indian time), Belarus and Lukashenko were on the receiving end with global leaders and diplomats like EU's Ursula von der Leyen, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and others expressing outrage. Belarus' act was even denounced as an act of "state terrorism".

On Monday, the pressure on Belarus increased. UK ordered its aircraft not to use Belarusian space. The country even suspended Belavia's operations in Britain. Belavia is Belarus' flag carrier.

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UK was followed by Ukraine as President Volodymyr Zelensky ordered the government to stop flights in and out of Belarus.

"The president instructed the government to work out a decision on the termination of direct flights between Ukraine and the Republic of Belarus," the presidency said in a statement.

Ukrainian planes would not fly through Belarus airspace, the statement added.

Prime Minister Denys Shmygal announced an extraordinary government meeting to be held on Tuesday to discuss the order.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-orders-aircraft-to-avoid-belarus-airspace-suspends-belavia-387131">UK orders aircraft to avoid Belarus airspace, suspends Belavia</a>

Berlin, London and Brussels summoned the Belarusian ambassadors, as exiled opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya called for an independent probe, new sanctions and for Minsk to be excluded from international aviation bodies.

It is expected that the European Union would decide to impose tougher sanctions on Belarus.

Russia backs Belarus

Russia came forward on Monday to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-finds-belarus-approach-to-plane-incident-reasonable-387125">back the cornered Belarus</a>. It said that the approach taken by Belarus to handle the plane incident was "reasonable"&nbsp;

"A representative of the Belarusian foreign ministry... stressed the readiness of the Belarusian authorities to act on the issue in a transparent manner and to follow all international rules," said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during a press conference following a meeting with his Greek counterpart.

"I think this is an absolutely reasonable approach."

He called on the global community to "soberly assess the situation".

The Lufthansa incident

Just one day after the Ryanair incident, a Lufthansa passenger flight was suspended in Minsk after a security alert. After a fresh security check. The Frankfurt-bound plane took off around 1330 GMT

(With inputs from agencies)

Belarus and its President Alexander Lukashenko continued facing global flak over the Ryanair plane incident. Late on Sunday (Indian time), Belarus sent a fighter jet to divert a Lithuania-bound plane and forced it to land in Belarus.

Belarus and its President Alexander Lukashenko continued facing global flak over the Ryanair plane incident. Late on Sunday (Indian time), Belarus sent a fighter jet to divert a Lithuania-bound plane and forced it to land in Belarus. The authorities then swooped in and arrested Roman Protasevich (26) an activist who until recently had run the Nexta telegram channel that galvanised huge protests against Alexander Lukashenko In very early hours of Monday (Indian time), Belarus and Lukashenko were on the receiving end with global leaders and diplomats like EU's Ursula von der Leyen, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and others expressing outrage. Belarus' act was even denounced as an act of "state terrorism". On Monday, the pressure on Belarus increased. UK ordered its aircraft not to use Belarusian space. The country even suspended Belavia's operations in Britain. Belavia is Belarus' flag carrier. × UK was followed by Ukraine as President Volodymyr Zelensky ordered the government to stop flights in and out of Belarus. "The president instructed the government to work out a decision on the termination of direct flights between Ukraine and the Republic of Belarus," the presidency said in a statement. Ukrainian planes would not fly through Belarus airspace, the statement added. Prime Minister Denys Shmygal announced an extraordinary government meeting to be held on Tuesday to discuss the order. Also Read | UK orders aircraft to avoid Belarus airspace, suspends Belavia Berlin, London and Brussels summoned the Belarusian ambassadors, as exiled opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya called for an independent probe, new sanctions and for Minsk to be excluded from international aviation bodies. It is expected that the European Union would decide to impose tougher sanctions on Belarus. Russia backs Belarus Russia came forward on Monday to back the cornered Belarus. It said that the approach taken by Belarus to handle the plane incident was "reasonable" "A representative of the Belarusian foreign ministry... stressed the readiness of the Belarusian authorities to act on the issue in a transparent manner and to follow all international rules," said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during a press conference following a meeting with his Greek counterpart. "I think this is an absolutely reasonable approach." He called on the global community to "soberly assess the situation". The Lufthansa incident Just one day after the Ryanair incident, a Lufthansa passenger flight was suspended in Minsk after a security alert. After a fresh security check. The Frankfurt-bound plane took off around 1330 GMT (With inputs from agencies)

Pressure mounts on Belarus over plane incident, Russia backs cornered Lukashenko

Sweden became the latest country to clamp down on business with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/belarus-faces-new-sanctions-from-west-over-forced-landing-of-plane-arrest-of-journalist-387190">Belarus </a>as the furore of the arrest of dissident journalist Roman Protasevich continued on Tuesday.

Watch:

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Europe cut air links with Lukashenko's regime as governments demanded <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/state-sponsored-hijacking-kgb-agents-were-on-board-plane-forced-to-land-by-belarus-says-ryanair-ceo-387255">Protasevich's </a>release. European Union on Monday had decided to ban Belarusian airlines from its airspace.

Singapore Airlines, Air France and Finnair have also suspended flights to Belarus even as opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya said the international community needed to do more while demanding Belarusian opposition to be invited to next month's G7 summit in Britain.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, "Belarus's actions will have consequences" even as the UN rights office asked for the immediate release of the Belarusian journalist.

"We are shocked by the unlawful arrest and arbitrary detention," UN rights office said.

"The manner, through the threat of military force, in which Protasevich was abducted from the jurisdiction of another state and brought within that of Belarus was tantamount to an extraordinary rendition," it said.

"Such abuse of state power against a journalist for exercising functions that are protected under international law is receiving, and deserves the strongest condemnation," the UN agency said.

Meanwhile, German foreign minister Heiko Maas said President Alexander Lukashenko will pay "a bitter price" for the "heinous" flight diversion that led to &nbsp;Protasevich's arrest.

Sweden became the latest country to clamp down on business with Belarus as the furore of the arrest of dissident journalist Roman Protasevich continued on Tuesday.

Sweden became the latest country to clamp down on business with Belarus as the furore of the arrest of dissident journalist Roman Protasevich continued on Tuesday. Watch: Europe cut air links with Lukashenko's regime as governments demanded Protasevich's release. European Union on Monday had decided to ban Belarusian airlines from its airspace. Singapore Airlines, Air France and Finnair have also suspended flights to Belarus even as opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya said the international community needed to do more while demanding Belarusian opposition to be invited to next month's G7 summit in Britain. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, "Belarus's actions will have consequences" even as the UN rights office asked for the immediate release of the Belarusian journalist. "We are shocked by the unlawful arrest and arbitrary detention," UN rights office said. "The manner, through the threat of military force, in which Protasevich was abducted from the jurisdiction of another state and brought within that of Belarus was tantamount to an extraordinary rendition," it said. "Such abuse of state power against a journalist for exercising functions that are protected under international law is receiving, and deserves the strongest condemnation," the UN agency said. Meanwhile, German foreign minister Heiko Maas said President Alexander Lukashenko will pay "a bitter price" for the "heinous" flight diversion that led to Protasevich's arrest.

Lukashenko will pay bitter price for heinous flight diversion leading to Protasevich's arrest: Germany

An International plane was interjected mid-air by a Belarusian fighter jet. The flight was diverted and forced to land in Minsk. Why? Because Europe's last dictator wanted to punish a passenger. Palki Sharma brings you this straight-out-of-Hollywood story.

Gravitas: Belarus diverts Ryanair plane to arrest critic

Detained Belarusian journalist Protasevich's confession video surfaces

European Union leaders agreed to impose more sanctions on Belarus, including economic ones. EU leaders have also cut Europe's airlinks with Belarus and agreed on banning Belarusian airlines from the bloc.

EU leaders agree to impose more sanctions on Belarus over Ryanair flight 'hijacking'

Belarus said on Monday that a false bomb threat that prompted a passenger plane to be diverted to Minsk where authorities arrested a journalist on board, was written in the name of the Palestinian militant group Hamas.&nbsp;

Authorities released what they said was a text of the bomb alert as officials sought to defuse a mounting international outcry over what Western capitals have denounced as an act of 'state piracy'.&nbsp;

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum denied his group had any knowledge or connection.&nbsp;

Minsk scrambled a warplane to escort a Ryanair flight on Sunday, flagging a bomb alert that proved false once the plane had made an unscheduled landing in Belarus where authorities arrested Roman Protasevich, a journalist critical of Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.&nbsp;

Western governments are threatening new sanctions against the former Soviet republic led by authoritarian Lukashenko over the diversion of the flight from Greece to Lithuania as it flew through Belarusian air space.&nbsp;

In Minsk, the foreign ministry's spokesman said Belarus had acted in line with international regulations and a senior transport official read out what he said was the text of the bomb threat.&nbsp;

"We, the soldiers of Hamas, demand that Israel cease fire in the Gaza Strip. We demand that the European Union withdraw its support for Israel in this war," said the head of the transport ministry's aviation department.&nbsp;

"There is a bomb on that plane. If you do not comply with our demands, the bomb will explode over Vilnius on 23 May," he said.&nbsp;

Hamas spokesman Barhoum said the group "has nothing to do with that completely."&nbsp;

The Palestinian militants and Israel are in the fourth day of a ceasefire after 11 days of hostilities, the worst outbreak in fighting between Israel and Hamas in years.&nbsp;

"We don’t resort to these methods, which could be the doing of some suspicious parties that aim to demonise Hamas and foil the state of world sympathy with our Palestinian people and their legitimate resistance," the Hamas spokesman said.&nbsp;

Igor Golub, head of the Belarusian air force, said that the Ryanair crew took the decision to divert to Minsk itself and that the fighter jet was sent to escort it only after it turned to fly towards the Belarusian capital.&nbsp;

The Belarusian foreign ministry spokesman said Minsk would guarantee full transparency in the case and would also be prepared to allow foreign experts to be involved in an investigation.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

Belarus said on Monday that a false bomb threat that prompted a passenger plane to be diverted to Minsk where authorities arrested a journalist on board, was written in the name of the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Belarus said on Monday that a false bomb threat that prompted a passenger plane to be diverted to Minsk where authorities arrested a journalist on board, was written in the name of the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Authorities released what they said was a text of the bomb alert as officials sought to defuse a mounting international outcry over what Western capitals have denounced as an act of 'state piracy'. Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum denied his group had any knowledge or connection. Minsk scrambled a warplane to escort a Ryanair flight on Sunday, flagging a bomb alert that proved false once the plane had made an unscheduled landing in Belarus where authorities arrested Roman Protasevich, a journalist critical of Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. Western governments are threatening new sanctions against the former Soviet republic led by authoritarian Lukashenko over the diversion of the flight from Greece to Lithuania as it flew through Belarusian air space. In Minsk, the foreign ministry's spokesman said Belarus had acted in line with international regulations and a senior transport official read out what he said was the text of the bomb threat. "We, the soldiers of Hamas, demand that Israel cease fire in the Gaza Strip. We demand that the European Union withdraw its support for Israel in this war," said the head of the transport ministry's aviation department. "There is a bomb on that plane. If you do not comply with our demands, the bomb will explode over Vilnius on 23 May," he said. Hamas spokesman Barhoum said the group "has nothing to do with that completely." The Palestinian militants and Israel are in the fourth day of a ceasefire after 11 days of hostilities, the worst outbreak in fighting between Israel and Hamas in years. "We don’t resort to these methods, which could be the doing of some suspicious parties that aim to demonise Hamas and foil the state of world sympathy with our Palestinian people and their legitimate resistance," the Hamas spokesman said. Igor Golub, head of the Belarusian air force, said that the Ryanair crew took the decision to divert to Minsk itself and that the fighter jet was sent to escort it only after it turned to fly towards the Belarusian capital. The Belarusian foreign ministry spokesman said Minsk would guarantee full transparency in the case and would also be prepared to allow foreign experts to be involved in an investigation. (With inputs from agencies)

Belarus points to Hamas bomb threat in plane diversion; group rejects claim 

The airline group Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary has said that Belarus’ forced landing of a Ryanair passenger jet in Minsk was “a state-sponsored hijacking” apparently directed by KGB agents.

"It appears the authorities intended to remove a journalist and his travelling companion," Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary told Ireland's Newstalk radio.

"We believe there were some (Belarusian security agency) KGB agents offloaded at the airport as well."

Dublin-headquartered Ryanair is renowned for ultra-low-cost, short-haul flights across the continental bloc.

Favoured by budget holidaymakers, the carrier is an unlikely participant in a high-stakes diplomatic crisis.

"I think it's the first time it's happened to a European airline," O'Leary said.

"It was a state-sponsored hijacking, it was state-sponsored piracy."

The Irish government also blamed Belarus for the diversion and called for a tough response from Brussels.

"We cannot allow this incident to pass based on warnings or strong press releases," Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney told state broadcaster RTE.

"I think there has to be a real edge to the sanctions that are applied on the back of this."

Belarus on Sunday ordered its military to scramble a fighter jet to force the Ryanair plane to change course and land in its capital city, citing a potential security threat on board. State media in Belarus said President Alexander Lukashenko had personally given the order.

(With inputs from agencies)

The airline group Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary has said that Belarus’ forced landing of a Ryanair passenger jet in Minsk was “a state-sponsored hijacking” apparently directed by KGB agents.

The airline group Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary has said that Belarus’ forced landing of a Ryanair passenger jet in Minsk was “a state-sponsored hijacking” apparently directed by KGB agents. "It appears the authorities intended to remove a journalist and his travelling companion," Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary told Ireland's Newstalk radio. "We believe there were some (Belarusian security agency) KGB agents offloaded at the airport as well." Dublin-headquartered Ryanair is renowned for ultra-low-cost, short-haul flights across the continental bloc. Favoured by budget holidaymakers, the carrier is an unlikely participant in a high-stakes diplomatic crisis. "I think it's the first time it's happened to a European airline," O'Leary said. "It was a state-sponsored hijacking, it was state-sponsored piracy." The Irish government also blamed Belarus for the diversion and called for a tough response from Brussels. "We cannot allow this incident to pass based on warnings or strong press releases," Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney told state broadcaster RTE. "I think there has to be a real edge to the sanctions that are applied on the back of this." Belarus on Sunday ordered its military to scramble a fighter jet to force the Ryanair plane to change course and land in its capital city, citing a potential security threat on board. State media in Belarus said President Alexander Lukashenko had personally given the order. (With inputs from agencies)

State-sponsored hijacking: KGB agents were on board plane forced to land by Belarus, says Ryanair CEO

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that any suggestion Russia was somehow involved in the forced landing of a commercial flight in Belarus to detain a dissident journalist was not worth responding to and fuelled by anti-Russian sentiment. 
 
Belarus on Sunday scrambled a warplane to escort a Ryanair passenger jet carrying Protasevich, a journalist critical of Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, in an act denounced by Western powers as "state piracy". 
 
British foreign minister Dominic Raab said on Monday that while the situation was unclear, it was difficult to believe that Russia was not involved, at least by acquiescence, in the jet incident. 
 
Speaking to reporters on a conference call, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the idea of Russian involvement out of hand. 
 
He said anti-Russian sentiment meant that Moscow was accused of anything and everything these days and that its critics had let their hatred of Russia blind their own analysis. 
 
Peskov added that Moscow hoped that Sofia Sapega, a Russian citizen detained along with Belarusian journalist Roman Protasevich after their flight was diverted to Minsk, would soon be released provided she had not broken any laws. 
 
Aside from Protasevich and Sapega, three other passengers left the plane at Minsk on Sunday. Initial assertions, without evidence, from a Belarusian activist that the three passengers had been Russian passport holders turned out to be false. 
 
One Lithuanian official told Reuters that the three passengers who disembarked at Minsk included two Belarusian citizens and one Greek citizen. 
 
Belarusian state TV on Monday broadcast interviews with the trio.

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that any suggestion Russia was somehow involved in the forced landing of a commercial flight in Belarus to detain a dissident journalist was not worth responding to and fuelled by anti-Russian sentiment.

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that any suggestion Russia was somehow involved in the forced landing of a commercial flight in Belarus to detain a dissident journalist was not worth responding to and fuelled by anti-Russian sentiment. Belarus on Sunday scrambled a warplane to escort a Ryanair passenger jet carrying Protasevich, a journalist critical of Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, in an act denounced by Western powers as "state piracy". British foreign minister Dominic Raab said on Monday that while the situation was unclear, it was difficult to believe that Russia was not involved, at least by acquiescence, in the jet incident. Speaking to reporters on a conference call, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the idea of Russian involvement out of hand. He said anti-Russian sentiment meant that Moscow was accused of anything and everything these days and that its critics had let their hatred of Russia blind their own analysis. Peskov added that Moscow hoped that Sofia Sapega, a Russian citizen detained along with Belarusian journalist Roman Protasevich after their flight was diverted to Minsk, would soon be released provided she had not broken any laws. Aside from Protasevich and Sapega, three other passengers left the plane at Minsk on Sunday. Initial assertions, without evidence, from a Belarusian activist that the three passengers had been Russian passport holders turned out to be false. One Lithuanian official told Reuters that the three passengers who disembarked at Minsk included two Belarusian citizens and one Greek citizen. Belarusian state TV on Monday broadcast interviews with the trio.

Kremlin dismisses notion of alleged Russian involvement in Belarus plane incident

Global aviation faces its biggest political crisis in years after Belarus scrambled a fighter and flagged what turned out to be a false bomb alert to detain a dissident journalist, prompting US and European outrage.&nbsp;

Some European airlines immediately began avoiding Belarus airspace, a key corridor between western Europe and Moscow and route for long-haul flights between western Europe and Asia.&nbsp;

"We, like all the European airlines are looking for guidance today from the European authorities and from NATO," Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O'Leary told Ireland's Newstalk radio.&nbsp;

Others, including Chinese and Turkish carriers, continued to fly over Belarus, which charges euro-denominated fees to use its airspace. Each flight brings Minsk revenue equivalent to some $500, adding up to millions each year, a Belarus official said.&nbsp;

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) said it had notified its 31 member states about the incident and an airline source said the agency had recommended 'caution' over Belarus.&nbsp;

Aviation experts said a decades-old system of cooperation now faces a crucial test under the glare of East-West tensions.&nbsp;

The UN's International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) said the incident may have contravened a core aviation treaty: part of the international order created after World War Two.&nbsp;

"ICAO is strongly concerned by the apparent forced landing of a Ryanair flight and its passengers, which could be in contravention of the Chicago Convention," it said on Sunday.&nbsp;

The Montreal agency called a meeting of its 36-member council, which has power to investigate any situation that may hinder the development of international aviation, for Thursday.&nbsp;

"It looks like a gross abuse of the (Chicago) Convention. It's piracy," Kevin Humphreys, a former Irish aviation regulator, said of the Belarus incident.&nbsp;

But experts cautioned that calls from some Western politicians for the outright closure of Belarus airspace would come up against tough obstacles.&nbsp;

Under global rules, neither ICAO nor any nation can close another's airspace, but some, such as the United States, have the power to tell their own airlines not to fly there.&nbsp;

Global airlines condemned any unlawful interference.&nbsp;

"A full investigation by competent international authorities is needed," said the International Air Transport Association, which represents about 280 airlines. Ryanair is not a member.&nbsp;

It was not immediately clear how any probe would be organised.&nbsp;

Although highly regulated at a national level, and supported by harmonised rules to keep skies safe, aviation lacks a global policeman to avoid constant disputes over sovereignty.&nbsp;

While it has no regulatory power, ICAO sits at the centre of a system of safety and security standards that operates across political barriers but requires an often slow-moving consensus.&nbsp;

The rules are managed through the Montreal-based agency by its 193 members, including Belarus. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Global aviation faces its biggest political crisis in years after Belarus scrambled a fighter and flagged what turned out to be a false bomb alert to detain a dissident journalist, prompting US and European outrage.

Global aviation faces its biggest political crisis in years after Belarus scrambled a fighter and flagged what turned out to be a false bomb alert to detain a dissident journalist, prompting US and European outrage. Some European airlines immediately began avoiding Belarus airspace, a key corridor between western Europe and Moscow and route for long-haul flights between western Europe and Asia. "We, like all the European airlines are looking for guidance today from the European authorities and from NATO," Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O'Leary told Ireland's Newstalk radio. Others, including Chinese and Turkish carriers, continued to fly over Belarus, which charges euro-denominated fees to use its airspace. Each flight brings Minsk revenue equivalent to some $500, adding up to millions each year, a Belarus official said. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) said it had notified its 31 member states about the incident and an airline source said the agency had recommended 'caution' over Belarus. Aviation experts said a decades-old system of cooperation now faces a crucial test under the glare of East-West tensions. The UN's International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) said the incident may have contravened a core aviation treaty: part of the international order created after World War Two. "ICAO is strongly concerned by the apparent forced landing of a Ryanair flight and its passengers, which could be in contravention of the Chicago Convention," it said on Sunday. The Montreal agency called a meeting of its 36-member council, which has power to investigate any situation that may hinder the development of international aviation, for Thursday. "It looks like a gross abuse of the (Chicago) Convention. It's piracy," Kevin Humphreys, a former Irish aviation regulator, said of the Belarus incident. But experts cautioned that calls from some Western politicians for the outright closure of Belarus airspace would come up against tough obstacles. Under global rules, neither ICAO nor any nation can close another's airspace, but some, such as the United States, have the power to tell their own airlines not to fly there. Global airlines condemned any unlawful interference. "A full investigation by competent international authorities is needed," said the International Air Transport Association, which represents about 280 airlines. Ryanair is not a member. It was not immediately clear how any probe would be organised. Although highly regulated at a national level, and supported by harmonised rules to keep skies safe, aviation lacks a global policeman to avoid constant disputes over sovereignty. While it has no regulatory power, ICAO sits at the centre of a system of safety and security standards that operates across political barriers but requires an often slow-moving consensus. The rules are managed through the Montreal-based agency by its 193 members, including Belarus. (With inputs from agencies)

Global aviation system tested by Belarus jetliner diversion 

Belarus on Sunday sent a fighter jet to escort a passenger plane to land flagging bomb alert that turned out to be false. The plane headed from Athens to Lithuania was diverted to Belarus capital Minsk and an opposition-minded journalist was detained.&nbsp;

The dramatic incident saw a Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jet escort a Ryanair-operated passenger plane flying from Athens to Lithuania. The plane was instead suddenly diverted to Minsk, the capital of Belarus, where authorities detained journalist Roman Protasevich who had been on board.

Roman Protasevich (26), the detained journalist worked for an online opposition news service NEXTA, a Telegram channel that broadcast footage of mass protests against Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko last year at a time when it was hard for foreign media to do so.

Data from the&nbsp;flightradar24.com website showed the plane was diverted just two minutes before it was due to cross into Lithuanian airspace from Belarus.

Protasevich's detention has evoked strong reactions across the world.

Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission, said Belarus's action was "utterly unacceptable", while British foreign minister Dominic Raab said there would be serious implications for what he called "outlandish action."

Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who like Protasevich operates from Lithuania, called on the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to kick Belarus out of the organisation.

EU member state Lithuania, where Protasevich is based, urged the European Union and NATO to respond.

(With inputs from agencies)

Belarus on Sunday sent a fighter jet to escort a passenger plane to land flagging bomb alert that turned out to be false. The plane headed from Athens to Lithuania was diverted to Belarus capital Minsk and an opposition-minded journalist was detained.

Belarus on Sunday sent a fighter jet to escort a passenger plane to land flagging bomb alert that turned out to be false. The plane headed from Athens to Lithuania was diverted to Belarus capital Minsk and an opposition-minded journalist was detained. The dramatic incident saw a Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jet escort a Ryanair-operated passenger plane flying from Athens to Lithuania. The plane was instead suddenly diverted to Minsk, the capital of Belarus, where authorities detained journalist Roman Protasevich who had been on board. Roman Protasevich (26), the detained journalist worked for an online opposition news service NEXTA, a Telegram channel that broadcast footage of mass protests against Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko last year at a time when it was hard for foreign media to do so. Data from the flightradar24.com website showed the plane was diverted just two minutes before it was due to cross into Lithuanian airspace from Belarus. Protasevich's detention has evoked strong reactions across the world. Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission, said Belarus's action was "utterly unacceptable", while British foreign minister Dominic Raab said there would be serious implications for what he called "outlandish action." Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who like Protasevich operates from Lithuania, called on the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to kick Belarus out of the organisation. EU member state Lithuania, where Protasevich is based, urged the European Union and NATO to respond. (With inputs from agencies)

Belarus sends fighter jet to divert passenger plane, detains opponent

British government on Monday said that it had instructed UK aircraft&nbsp;to avoid Belarus airspace. Additionally, it slapped a ban on Belarusian flag carrier Belavia. UK also summoned Belarusian ambassador over the issue of forced diversion of a passenger plane that culminated into arrest of a 26-year-old Belarusian activist who opposed country's President Alexander Lukashenko.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he had told the Civil Aviation Authority to issue instructions "in order to keep passengers safe".&nbsp;

He also suspended the operating permit of Belavia, which flies daily London Gatwick to Minsk flights via Paris in a code-share with Air France.

Belarus on Sunday (Indian time) sent a fighter jet plane to divert a Lithuania-bound Rayanair passenger plane and arrested a 26-year-old opposition activist Roman Protasevich. This has raised tensions as Belarus drew a lot of flak from European countries as well as the USA.

Russia appears to have sided with Belarus as it said that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-finds-belarus-approach-to-plane-incident-reasonable-387125">Belarusian response to the plane incident was "reasonable"</a>

Roman Protasevich (26), who was arrested by Belarus authorities on Sunday is a Belarusian journalist and activist.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-finds-belarus-approach-to-plane-incident-reasonable-387125">Russia finds Belarus approach to plane incident 'reasonable'</a>

Together with co-founder Stepan Putilo he had until recently run the Nexta telegram channel that galvanised and directed huge protests against Lukashenko's disputed re-election to a sixth term in August 2020.

(With inputs from agencies)

British government on Monday said that it had instructed UK aircraft to avoid Belarus airspace. Additionally, it slapped a ban on Belarusian flag carrier Belavia.

British government on Monday said that it had instructed UK aircraft to avoid Belarus airspace. Additionally, it slapped a ban on Belarusian flag carrier Belavia. UK also summoned Belarusian ambassador over the issue of forced diversion of a passenger plane that culminated into arrest of a 26-year-old Belarusian activist who opposed country's President Alexander Lukashenko. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he had told the Civil Aviation Authority to issue instructions "in order to keep passengers safe". He also suspended the operating permit of Belavia, which flies daily London Gatwick to Minsk flights via Paris in a code-share with Air France. Belarus on Sunday (Indian time) sent a fighter jet plane to divert a Lithuania-bound Rayanair passenger plane and arrested a 26-year-old opposition activist Roman Protasevich. This has raised tensions as Belarus drew a lot of flak from European countries as well as the USA. Russia appears to have sided with Belarus as it said that Belarusian response to the plane incident was "reasonable" Roman Protasevich (26), who was arrested by Belarus authorities on Sunday is a Belarusian journalist and activist. Also Read | Russia finds Belarus approach to plane incident 'reasonable' Together with co-founder Stepan Putilo he had until recently run the Nexta telegram channel that galvanised and directed huge protests against Lukashenko's disputed re-election to a sixth term in August 2020. (With inputs from agencies)

UK orders aircraft to avoid Belarus airspace, suspends Belavia

Russia on Monday backed Belarus in its decision to divert a plane carrying opposition activist. The activist was later arrested by Belarus. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov defended Belarus' decision.

Belarus,&nbsp;led by its strongman President Alexander Lukashenko late on Sunday (Indian time) sent a figher plane to divert Ryanair passenger plane bound for Lithuania. The plane was forced to land in Belarus and 26-year-old opposition activist Roman Protasevich was arrested

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told journalists that Belarus had treated the incident with an "absolutely reasonable approach".&nbsp;

"A representative of the Belarusian foreign ministry... stressed the readiness of the Belarusian authorities to act on the issue in a transparent manner and to follow all international rules," Lavrov said during a press conference following a meeting with his Greek counterpart.

"I think this is an absolutely reasonable approach."

He called on the global community to "soberly assess the situation".

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Belarus has received harsh criticism from western countries. Western leaders <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/belarus-sends-fighter-jet-to-divert-passenger-plane-detains-opponent-386961">called the incident an "act of state terrorism"</a> and the EU was expected Monday to toughen sanctions against Belarus.

Protasevich (26), who was arrested by Belarus authorities is a Belarusian journalist and activist.

Together with co-founder Stepan Putilo he had until recently run the Nexta telegram channel that galvanised and directed huge protests against Lukashenko's disputed re-election to a sixth term in August 2020.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/belarus-sends-fighter-jet-to-divert-passenger-plane-detains-opponent-386961">Belarus sends fighter jet to divert passenger plane, detains opponent</a>

Last year, Protasevich and Putilo were accused by Belarusian authorities of a number of crimes including organising mass riots. Protasevich left the Nexta project last year.

He faces a sentence of up to 15 years in Belarus.

Lufthansa flight takes off from Minsk

Meanwhile, Lufthansa flight suspended in Minsk on Monday due to security alert took off for Frankfurt with all passengers on board.

"The flight took off 10 minutes ago," an airline spokesman told AFP at about 1330 GMT, one day after the forced landing of a Ryanair flight in Belarus.&nbsp;

"All passengers were on board as planned."&nbsp;

Lufthansa said all luggage and freight had been removed from the aircraft, in which there were 51 people including five crew members, for fresh security checks after Belarusian authorities said they had received a "security warning".

"We regret the inconvenience for the passengers but the security of our passengers, crew and the plane take top priority at Lufthansa," the spokesman said.

Soon after Lufthansa announced the flight's suspension, Minsk airport said on its Telegram channel that "all necessary measures" to check the plane and its passengers had been completed.

(With agency inputs)

Russia on Monday backed Belarus in its decision to divert a plane carrying opposition activist. The activist was later arrested by Belarus. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov defended Belarus' decision.

Russia on Monday backed Belarus in its decision to divert a plane carrying opposition activist. The activist was later arrested by Belarus. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov defended Belarus' decision. Belarus, led by its strongman President Alexander Lukashenko late on Sunday (Indian time) sent a figher plane to divert Ryanair passenger plane bound for Lithuania. The plane was forced to land in Belarus and 26-year-old opposition activist Roman Protasevich was arrested Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told journalists that Belarus had treated the incident with an "absolutely reasonable approach". "A representative of the Belarusian foreign ministry... stressed the readiness of the Belarusian authorities to act on the issue in a transparent manner and to follow all international rules," Lavrov said during a press conference following a meeting with his Greek counterpart. "I think this is an absolutely reasonable approach." He called on the global community to "soberly assess the situation". × Belarus has received harsh criticism from western countries. Western leaders called the incident an "act of state terrorism" and the EU was expected Monday to toughen sanctions against Belarus. Protasevich (26), who was arrested by Belarus authorities is a Belarusian journalist and activist. Together with co-founder Stepan Putilo he had until recently run the Nexta telegram channel that galvanised and directed huge protests against Lukashenko's disputed re-election to a sixth term in August 2020. Also Read | Belarus sends fighter jet to divert passenger plane, detains opponent Last year, Protasevich and Putilo were accused by Belarusian authorities of a number of crimes including organising mass riots. Protasevich left the Nexta project last year. He faces a sentence of up to 15 years in Belarus. Lufthansa flight takes off from Minsk Meanwhile, Lufthansa flight suspended in Minsk on Monday due to security alert took off for Frankfurt with all passengers on board. "The flight took off 10 minutes ago," an airline spokesman told AFP at about 1330 GMT, one day after the forced landing of a Ryanair flight in Belarus. "All passengers were on board as planned." Lufthansa said all luggage and freight had been removed from the aircraft, in which there were 51 people including five crew members, for fresh security checks after Belarusian authorities said they had received a "security warning". "We regret the inconvenience for the passengers but the security of our passengers, crew and the plane take top priority at Lufthansa," the spokesman said. Soon after Lufthansa announced the flight's suspension, Minsk airport said on its Telegram channel that "all necessary measures" to check the plane and its passengers had been completed. (With agency inputs)

Russia finds Belarus approach to plane incident 'reasonable'

European countries, the United States and the United Nations have condemned Belarus after a Ryanair flight from Greece to Lithuania was diverted and made to land in Belarus over a bomb threat to arrest a journalist.

Belarus faces international condemnation over Ryanair flight 'hijacking' to detain journalist

Global leaders have condemned Belarus' diversion of the Ryanair flight and the detention of a journalist. The move has provoked a furious outcry from EU leaders who described it as a 'hijacking' and an act of 'state terrorism'. EU has also said to discuss toughening of its existing sanctions against Belarus at a pre-planned summit today.

EU leaders call for sanctions against Belarus over Ryanair plane 'hijacking', arrest of journalist

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