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Dissident journalist Roman Protasevich and his girlfriend were arrested on the intercepted flight

EU agrees new Belarus sanctions over plane rerouting

European Union ambassadors have agreed to impose sanctions on 78 individuals and seven entities after the forced landing of a European airliner by Belarus, diplomats said.

World • 16 Jun 21

O'Leary: Belarusian airspace ban not long-term solution

Ryanair does not support a ban on Belarusian airspace in the long term, its group chief executive said today and called on international authorities to secure assurances from the country that there would be no repeat of last month's forced landing.

Business • 15 Jun 21

Roman Protasevich appeared at a press conference today

'Hostage' Protasevich tells reporters: 'Nobody beat me'

In today's news conference, which was organised by the foreign ministry, the 26-year-old activist said he was in good health.

World • 14 Jun 21

A demonstration about the deteriorating human rights situation in Belarus was held outside the Dáil earlier

Coveney says Lukashenko has no democratic legitimacy

The Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has told the Dáil that the Government affirms its solidarity with the people of Belarus.

News • 01 Jun 21

A Ryanair passenger jet was forced to land in Minsk on 23 May

US preparing sanctions against Belarusian government

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said President Joe Biden's government was also suspending a 2019 agreement between Washington and Minsk that allowed carriers from each country to use the other's airspace.

World • 29 May 21

The Athens-to-Vilnius flight carrying a wanted opposition activist was forced to land in Minsk on Sunday over a supposed bomb scare

'Bomb threat' sent after plane diverted - email company

The alleged bomb threat cited by Belarus as the reason why it diverted a plane to Minsk before arresting a journalist on board was sent after the plane was redirected, the email provider said.

World • 28 May 21

The airline said it had suspended flights over Belarusian airspace in line with a recommendation by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), making a route change for the Vienna-Moscow flight necessary

Austrian Airlines unable to secure Belarus re-route

Austrian Airlines has cancelled a Vienna-Moscow flight, saying Russian authorities had not approved a route change for the plane to be able to avoid Belarusian airspace.

Europe • 27 May 21

EASA said the forced diversion of a Ryanair flight had put in question the ability of Belarus to provide safe skies

Europe agency urges all airlines to avoid Belarus

Europe's aviation regulator has today urged all airlines to avoid Belarus airspace for safety reasons, saying the forced diversion of a Ryanair flight had put in question the country's ability to provide safe skies.

Business • 26 May 21

Alexander Lukashenko is facing renewed pressure over the incident

Journalist was plotting 'bloody rebellion' - Lukashenko

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said a journalist pulled off a plane that was forced to land in Minsk had been plotting a rebellion, and has accused the West of waging a "hybrid war" against him.

World • 26 May 21

Nearly 2,500 commercial airplanes fly over Belarus every week (Stock image)

What is the impact of airlines avoiding Belarus skies?

Global airlines are avoiding the airspace of Belarus after the country diverted a Ryanair jet and arrested a dissident journalist on board.

World • 25 May 21

Alexander Lukashenko has been in power in Belarus since 1994

Belarus, Lukashenko and 'Europe's last dictatorship'

It was the Bush administration which coined the term "Europe's last dictatorship" for Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

Analysis and Comment • 25 May 21

Roman Protasevich appeared on a video on Belarus state television last night

UN Security Council to meet over Protasevich detention

The UN Security Council will hold an informal closed-door meeting tomorrow on Belarus, which is accused of diverting an airliner and arresting a dissident on board, diplomatic sources said.

World • 25 May 21

Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius was forced to land in Minsk

Forced landing of Ryanair plane 'attack on EU' - Martin

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has welcomed the fresh sanctions on the Belarusian regime and said the forced landing of a Ryanair plane in Minsk on Sunday was an attack on the European Union itself and on EU citizens.

World • 25 May 21

Roman Protasevich began his activism as a teenager

Roman Protasevich: From teen activist to regime foe

Belarusian journalist Roman Protasevich, who was detained in Belarus after the Ryanair flight he was on was diverted and forced to land on Sunday, began his digital activism in his teens.

World • 25 May 21

Ryanair Flight 4978 pictured while it was on the ground in Minsk

Ryanair flight sent '20 departure delay messages'

Ryanair Flight 4978 sent 20 departure delay messages while it was on the ground in Minsk, according to an internal report by the European air traffic management organisation, seen by RTÉ News.

World • 24 May 21

Roman Protasevich appeared to have been filmed on a phone camera

Belarus activist appears to 'confess' in state media

Arrested Belarussian opposition blogger Roman Protasevich has said he is cooperating and admitting to charges of organising protests in a video circulated by state TV channels.

World • 25 May 21

A decision by authorities in Belarus to force a Ryanair jet to land in Minsk on Sunday was a "state-sponsored hijacking", Ryanair group CEO Michael O'Leary has said

O'Leary says plane grounding 'state-sponsored piracy'

A decision by authorities in Belarus to force a Ryanair jet to land in Minsk on Sunday and detain a dissident journalist was a "state-sponsored hijacking", Ryanair group chief executive Michael O'Leary said today.

Business • 24 May 21

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen arriving at the summit

EU bans Belarusian flights from bloc's airspace

EU leaders have announced a ban on all Belarusian flights into EU airspace and a ban on the country's state carrier Belavia from landing at EU airports.

World • 25 May 21

Euronews move denounced by critics of Alexander Lukashenko

Belarus bans Euronews broadcasts

Belarusian authorities said they had banned European news network Euronews from broadcasting, in a move denounced by critics of President Alexander Lukashenko as a new act of censorship.

World • 12 Apr 21

Police have detained thousands of demonstrators who have reported torture and abuse in custody

EU threatens new Belarus sanctions after protest death

The European Union has warned that it could impose further sanctions on targets in Belarus and condemned the death in police custody of an opposition activist.

World • 13 Nov 20

Britain has been calling for fresh elections in Belarus since President Alexander Lukashenko's re-election earlier this year

Britain expels Belarus diplomats in retaliatory move

Britain has expelled two Belarusian diplomats "in response to the unjustified expulsion" of two British diplomats by Belarus yesterday, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has announced.

World • 10 Nov 20

Senior police officials have threatened to use firearms against protesters if needed

Belarusians protest despite threats and warning shots

Riot police fired warning shots into the air, used stun grenades and made arrests to deter tens of thousands of Belarusians who marched through Minsk to demand veteran leader Alexander Lukashenko leave power.

Europe • 01 Nov 20

Students take part in a rally in central Minsk

Belarus strikes start after Lukashenko ignores deadline

Factory workers chanted slogans, students took to the streets and police made detentions as Belarusians answered an opposition call for a national strike to force President Alexander Lukashenko to quit, local media footage showed.

World • 26 Oct 20

Alexander Lukashenko (L) has been left off the EU's sanctions list

EU sanctions on Belarus draw strong Russian response

Taoiseach Micheál Martin will outline Ireland's concerns over the impact of Brexit on the second day of a summit of European Union leaders.

World • 02 Oct 20

A woman is detained during the protest in Minsk, Belarus yesterday

Macron calls for Belarus president Lukashenko to resign

French President Emmanuel Macron has said that Belarus's leader Alexander Lukashenko must step down, after the EU refused to recognise him as the legitimate president of the ex-Soviet country.

World • 27 Sep 20