Belarus: Airlines avoid airspace; fears over ‘forced’ confession

Pressure mounts on Minsk as more carriers suspend flights while journalist’s father says Protasevich has likely been beaten.

More air carriers have suspended flights over Belarusian airspace in response to Minsk’s forced plane diversion, as fears grew for the journalist on board who was arrested after landing in the capital. Air France, Finnair and Singapore Airlines became the latest carriers to suspend flights over Belarus on Tuesday, following moves taken by several other companies. The announcements came a day after European Union leaders urged EU-based airlines to avoid Belarusian airspace and banned the country’s airlines from the 27-nation bloc.