EU imposes tough sanctions on Belarus – Condemnation from the US

Strict penalties against her Belarus, decided to impose European Union, following the diversion of its flight Ryanair from its scheduled route. The journalist and opposition figure was on board the flight., Roman Protasevich, who was arrested and taken into custody.

The sanctions include banning Belarusian state airlines from EU airports and asking EU-based airlines to avoid flying over Belarus. EU countries have also called on the International Civil Aviation Organization to launch an investigation. The UN agency, which sets standards for civil aviation, has called a meeting for Thursday.

European leaders agreed to impose economic sanctions on companies and entities that finance the president, who has been in office for 27 years., Alexander Lukashenko.

At the same time, the European Commission is being asked to draw up a list of officials who are undesirable in the West, while the country's entire economic infrastructure is being targeted.

«This is an attack on democracy, an attack on freedom of expression, and an attack on European sovereignty,» Ursula von der Leyen told reporters.

At a meeting in Brussels on Monday evening, the bloc demanded the immediate release of Roman Protasevich and Sofia Sapega, who were on a flight from Athens to Vilnius and were arrested in Minsk on Sunday after the plane was forced to land.

EU leaders called for sanctions to be prepared «without delay.» Targeting entities would hurt Lukashenko and his allies while avoiding broader sanctions that could hurt ordinary Belarusians, diplomats said.

US President Joe Biden welcomed the EU's decision in a statement on Monday evening, saying he had asked his advisers «to develop appropriate options» for the US to take in Joe Biden, welcomed the EU's decision in a statement on Monday evening, saying he had asked his advisers "to develop appropriate options to hold those responsible accountable, in close coordination with the European Union, other allies and partners, and international organizations.".

Joe Biden even called the diversion of the aircraft «outrageous,» adding that the US strongly condemns the diversion of the aircraft and the arrest of Roman Protasevich.

«We will not tolerate roulette with the lives of innocent civilians,» said European Council President Charles Michel, who is chairing the summit.

The tougher stance against Belarus coincided with a planned discussion on its close ally Russia. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda called for measures to restrict Russia's access to financial markets and international payment systems.

Von der Leyen said that Russia had attempted to weaken the EU and undermine member states through «sabotage, assassinations, divide and rule tactics, cyberattacks, and disinformation campaigns.» «It's getting worse,» she commented.

The leaders asked the Commission to examine the EU's options for putting pressure on Putin when they meet next month.

Russia has backed Belarus« handling of the situation, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov insisting that Minsk's explanation for the incident was »logical.".

In a public show of support, President Vladimir Putin is expected to meet with Lukashenko later this week, for the third time this year.

Belarus' actions were condemned by Western countries and raised concerns that other authoritarian regimes might try to act in a similar way in the air.

The Belarusian Foreign Ministry called the criticism «unfounded,» and its close ally Russia called the EU's reaction «shocking.».

During the EU leaders' meeting, a channel supporting Lukashenko posted the first footage of Protasevich after his arrest on the Telegram messaging app. The activist appeared unkempt and said he was being held in a prison in Minsk, but claimed he was being treated well, although he looked exhausted.

In the video, Protasevich also appears to confess to the crimes he is accused of in Belarus.  «I am also cooperating with the authorities conducting the investigation and providing evidence of my guilt in organizing mass disturbances,» he said. He faces 15 years in prison on the charges.

Activists, such as Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, question the authenticity of the video, arguing that it is clear that Protasevich is under pressure in the video.

In the video, Protasevich denies having heart problems, as reported on some social media sites citing his mother.

Speaking to the BBC on Monday, Dmitry Protasevich's father said he was «really afraid» about how his son would be treated by the authorities in his home country.

«We hope he will cope with it. We are afraid to think about it, but it is possible that he will be beaten and tortured. We really fear that,» he said. «We are truly shocked and truly upset,» he continued. «This kind of thing should not be happening in the 21st century in the heart of Europe,» he added.

«We hope that the entire international community, including the European Union, will exert unprecedented pressure on the authorities. We hope that the pressure will work and that the authorities will realize that they have made a very big mistake,» he concluded.

EU leaders called for sanctions to be prepared «without delay.» Targeting the oligarchs would hurt Lukashenko and his allies while avoiding broader sanctions that could hurt ordinary Belarusians, diplomats said.