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EU to Roll Out Harsh Belarus Sanctions Over Journo’s Arrest

“The outrageous action by Belarusian authorities constitutes another blatant attempt to silence all opposition voices in the country,” the bloc said in a statement on Monday.

The European Union has decided to impose sweeping sanctions against the state of Belarus a day after Minsk authorities diverted and forced down a plane carrying dissident journalist Roman Protasevich, who was arrested on espionage and terror charges on Sunday. In a statement backed by all 27 member nations, the bloc demanded the release of Protasevich, urged European airlines to cease all flights over Belarus, and announced they would begin the process of banning the country from navigating its airspace. “The outrageous action by Belarusian authorities constitutes another blatant attempt to silence all opposition voices in the country,” the bloc said in a statement on Monday, according to Reuters. Protasevich, whose girlfriend was also detained after their flight from Athens to Vilnius was forced to land in Minsk, may face the death penalty if convicted.