The European Union agreed Monday to impose sanctions in opposition to Belarus, together with banning its airways from utilizing the airspace and airports of the 27-nation bloc, amid fury over the compelled diversion of a passenger jet to arrest an opposition journalist.In what EU leaders have known as a brazen “hijacking” of the Ryanair jetliner flying from Greece to Lithuania on Sunday, additionally they demanded the rapid launch of the journalist, Raman Pratasevich, a key foe of authoritarian Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.A quick video clip of Pratasevich, who ran a well-liked messaging app that performed a key function in serving to manage huge protests in opposition to Lukashenko, was proven on Belarusian state tv Monday evening, a day after he was faraway from the Ryanair flight.Sitting at a desk together with his arms folded in entrance of him and talking quickly, Pratasevich mentioned he was in passable well being and mentioned his remedy in custody was “maximally correct and according to law.” He added that he was giving proof to investigators about organizing mass disturbances.In their unusually swift motion in Brussels, the EU leaders additionally urged all EU-based carriers to keep away from flying over Belarus, determined to impose sanctions on officers linked to Sunday’s flight diversion, and urged the International Civil Aviation Organization to begin an investigation into what they see as an unprecedented transfer and what some mentioned amounted to state terrorism or piracy.The leaders known as on their council “to adopt the necessary measures to ban overflight of EU airspace by Belarusian airlines and prevent access to EU airports of flights operated by such airlines.” In addition to Pratasevich, additionally they urged authorities in Minsk to launch his Russian girlfriend, Sofia Sapega, who was taken off the airplane with him.The textual content was endorsed rapidly by the leaders who had been decided to reply with a “strong reaction” to the incident due to the “serious endangering of aviation safety and passengers on board by Belarussian authorities,” in accordance with an EU official with direct data of the discussions who was not approved to talk publicly concerning the non-public talks.Ryanair mentioned Belarusian flight controllers advised the crew there was a bomb menace in opposition to the airplane because it was crossing via Belarus airspace on Sunday and ordered it to land. A Belarusian MiG-29 fighter jet was scrambled to escort the airplane in a brazen present of power by Lukashenko, who has dominated the nation with an iron fist for over a quarter-century.Belarus authorities then arrested the 26-year-old activist, journalist and distinguished Lukashenko critic. Pratasevich and his Russian girlfriend had been taken off the airplane shortly after it landed, and authorities haven’t mentioned the place they’re being held. Ryanair Flight FR4978, which started in Athens, Greece, was ultimately allowed to proceed on to Vilnius, Lithuania.US President Joe Biden was briefed on the incident and National Security adviser Jake Sullivan raised the problem in his name with the secretary of the Russian Security Council, mentioned White House press secretary Jen Psaki. She added the administration condemned what she known as the “shocking act” of diverting a flight to detain a journalist.“It constitutes a brazen affront to international peace and security by the regime. We demand an immediate international, transparent and credible investigation of this incident,” she mentioned, including the US was in contact with NATO, the EU, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, amongst others about subsequent steps.EU leaders had been significantly forceful of their condemnation of the arrest and the transfer in opposition to the airplane, which was flying between two of the bloc’s member nations and was being operated by an airline based mostly in Ireland, additionally a member.The bloc summoned Belarus’ ambassador “to condemn the inadmissible step of the Belarusian authorities” and mentioned in an announcement the arrest was but once more “another blatant attempt to silence all opposition voices in the country.”Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis mentioned “the scandalous incident in Belarus shows signs of state terrorism and it’s unbelievable,” whereas EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen mentioned it amounted to a “hijacking.”EU leaders have tried to deliver Belarus nearer to the bloc — to encourage democratic reforms and cut back the affect of Russia — however have failed to date. Ahead of their summit, some EU leaders threatened extra sanctions — from scrapping touchdown rights within the bloc for Belarus’ nationwide provider Belavia to exclusions from sports activities occasions.Even earlier than the EU acted, Latvia’s airBaltic mentioned it could keep away from Belarusian airspace, and Lithuania’s authorities mentioned it could instruct all flights to and from the Baltic nation to keep away from Belarus as properly beginning Tuesday.British Transport Secretary Grant Shapps mentioned he instructed the U.Ok. Civil Aviation Authority “to request airlines avoid Belarusian airspace in order to keep passengers safe.” He added he was suspending the allow permitting Belavia to function within the U.Ok.Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ordered officers to maneuver to chop the air hyperlink with Belarus and ban Ukrainian flights through the neighbor’s airspace.The US and the EU have imposed sanctions on high Belarusian officers amid months of protests, which had been triggered by Lukashenko’s reelection to a sixth time period in an August 2020 vote that the opposition rejected as rigged. More than 34,000 folks have been arrested in Belarus since then, and 1000’s crushed.The Belarusian Foreign Ministry bristled at what it described as “belligerent” EU statements, insisting Minsk acted “in full conformity with international rules.”It ordered all Latvian diplomats overseas after the Belarusian flag was changed Monday with the white-and-red one utilized by the opposition on the world ice hockey championship in Riga, Latvia. The occasion was moved from Minsk amid the worldwide outcry over the crackdown.Lufthansa mentioned a flight from Minsk to Frankfurt with 51 folks aboard was delayed Monday following a “security warning.” It was allowed to depart after the airplane, passengers and cargo had been searched.On Sunday, flight tracker websites indicated the Ryanair flight was about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the Lithuanian border when it was diverted. There had been conflicting stories on what precisely occurred.Belarusian transport ministry official Artem Sikorsky mentioned the Minsk airport had obtained an e mail concerning the bomb menace from the Palestinian militant group Hamas.Lukashenko’s press service mentioned he had ordered a fighter jet to accompany the airplane after being advised of the bomb menace. Deputy air power commander Andrei Gurtsevich advised Belarusian state TV that the Ryanair crew determined to land in Minsk, including that the fighter jet was despatched “to ensure a safe landing.”But Ryanair mentioned in an announcement that Belarusian air site visitors management instructed the airplane to divert to the capital. The airplane was searched, and no bomb was discovered.Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary described the transfer as “a case of state-sponsored hijacking state-sponsored piracy.”In an obvious reference to the Belarusian safety company that also goes underneath its Soviet-era title KGB, O’Leary he advised the Irish radio station Newstalk that he believes “some KGB agents offloaded from the aircraft” in Minsk.Of the 126 folks aboard the flight initially, solely 121 made it to Vilnius, in accordance with Rolandas Kiskis, chief of felony police bureau within the Lithuanian capital the place an investigation has begun.Passengers described Pratasevich’s shock when he realized the airplane was going to Minsk.“I saw this Belarusian guy with girlfriend sitting right behind us. He freaked out when the pilot said the plane is diverted to Minsk. He said there’s death penalty awaiting him there,” passenger Marius Rutkauskas mentioned after the airplane lastly arrived in Vilnius. “We sat for an hour after the landing. Then they started releasing passengers and took those two. We did not see them again.”Pratasevich was a co-founder of the Telegram messaging app’s Nexta channel, which performed a distinguished function in serving to manage the anti-Lukashenko protests.Nearly 2 million Belarusians within the nation of 9.3 million folks have adopted the channel, which has been the primary conduit for organizing demonstrations and provided recommendation on learn how to dodge police cordons. It additionally has run photographs, video and different supplies documenting the brutal police crackdown on the protests.Belarus authorities have labeled the channel “extremist” and charged Pratasevich in absentia of inciting mass riots and fanning social hatred. He may face 15 years in jail if convicted.In November, the Belarusian KGB put Pratasevich on a listing of individuals suspected of involvement in terrorism, an ominous signal that he may face even graver fees. Terrorism is punishable by demise in Belarus, the one nation in Europe that maintains capital punishment.Amid the worldwide outrage, Moscow rapidly provided a serving to hand to its ally.Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov mentioned the episode must be investigated — however that it couldn’t be rushed. Moscow and Minsk have shut political, financial and navy ties, and Lukashenko has relied on Russian help amid Western sanctions.In a earlier diversion of a passenger flight, a United Airlines flight in 2004 from London to Washington carrying the singer Yusuf Islam, higher referred to as Cat Stevens, was despatched to Bangor, Maine, the place FBI brokers met the airplane and despatched him again to England. US officers mentioned he was denied entry to the United States on nationwide safety grounds. He later was allowed into the US.