EU leaders agree Belarusian sanctions after journalist arrest | Europe News

The bloc agrees to ban Belarus from its airspace, among other penalties, after a plane was diverted and an opposition journalist was arrested.

European Union leaders have agreed to a series of sanctions against Belarus, including a ban on the use of airspace by 27 national blocs and airports, amid rage to divert an air passenger between two EU countries to arrest an opposition journalist. .

EU leaders have called for the shameless “hijacking” of an Irish carrier Ryanair on Sunday from Greece to Lithuania, on Monday calling for the immediate release of Roman Protasevich, a key critic of Belarusian authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko.

EU leaders also decided to suppress the individual punishment of officials involved in the operation, and called on the International Civil Aviation Organization to launch an investigation into what they consider an unprecedented move and what some have called “state terrorism”.

Decisions taken at the summit shall become judicial action as soon as judicial proceedings are permitted.

In a video released on Monday, Protasevich said he was cooperating with authorities and “acknowledging” that he was accused of organizing protests.

Speaking in a video released by state television, Protasevich said: “I am in the 1st detention center in Minsk. I can say that I have no health problems, including my heart or any other organ. “

The 26-year-old is dressed in a black hoodie and sits behind a table in an undescribed room with a pack of cigarettes by his side.

He worries with his hands as he makes the statement and sees some dark marks on his forehead.

“The attitude of the staff towards me is as straightforward as possible and in accordance with the law. I continue to cooperate with researchers and acknowledge that I have organized a massive unrest in the city of Minsk, ”he said.

His allies immediately rejected the comments because they were forced to do so.

“That’s how Raman sees it under physical and moral pressure. I demand the immediate release of Raman and all political prisoners, “Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Thiskanouskaya wrote on Twitter in English, using the Belarusian spelling of his name.

Pre-trial arrest

The Belarussian Interior Ministry had earlier confirmed Protasevich’s arrest, saying he had been remanded in custody.

Minsk also dismissed rumors that Protasevich had been hospitalized on social media and said authorities had no information about his health problems.

A document released to the Telegram courier service was the first given by authorities about Protasevich’s location since he was arrested at Minsk airport on Sunday when his plane was forced to land there in an emergency.

The blogger’s request began on Sunday for a Belarusian MiG-29 aircraft to respond to an alleged bomb threat to intercept a Ryanair flight from Greece to Lithuania and escort it to Minsk.

Ryanair said the Belarusian air traffic control informed its crew of a “potential security threat on board” and ordered them to direct the plane to the nearest Minsk airport. On landing, Belarusian authorities arrested Protasevich.

The EU and the United States imposed several rounds of financial sanctions on Minsk last year, which had no effect on the conduct of President Alexander Lukashenko, who suffered widespread protests against his rule after the disputed elections.

Lukashenko has denied election fraud. Since the disputed vote, the authorities have gathered thousands of their opponents, all of whom are currently in prison or in exile.

Belarus says it acted in the face of a fake bomb threat written on behalf of the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum has denied that his group had any knowledge or ties to the issue.

Belarus said ground controllers had given guidance on the flight but had not issued a landing order. State media said the intervention was personally ordered by Lukashenko.

Russia, which has provided security, diplomacy and financial support to Lukashenko, has accused the West of hypocrisy.