US President Joe Biden condemns Belarus plane diversion, calls it 'outrageous incident'

"This outrageous incident and the video Mr. Pratasevich appears to have made under duress are shameful assaults on both political dissent and the freedom of the press," Biden said in a statement.

Washington: President Joe Biden on Monday (May 24) said the forced diversion by Belarus of a commercial passenger jet so it could arrest an opposition journalist was a direct affront to international norms "and condemned the action as an outrageous incident." Biden made the statement and joined calls for an international investigation as the European Union imposed sanctions against Belarus, including banning its airlines from using the airspace and airports in the 27-nation bloc in reaction to Sunday's forced diversion of the Lithuania-bound Ryanair flight. The flight had originated from Greece, but was forced to land in Minsk.