EU bans Belarus airlines from its airspace following journalist arrest

• The 26-year-old breaks down in tears at one point in the video.
• Human rights groups pointed to bruises on the journalist's hands and face, suggesting that his confession was forced, the Washington Post reports.

The big picture: The diversion of the Ryanair passenger jet carrying Pratasevich last month prompted international outrage after it was revealed that Belarus security services had called in a fake bomb threat to force the plane to land in Minsk to arrest Pratasevich and his girlfriend.

• The U.S. last week condemned Pratasevich's arrest and announced it was reimposing sanctions against nine state-owned Belarusian enterprises starting Thursday.
• The White House also stated it was working with the EU to develop specific sanctions against members of the Lukashenko regime. European leaders have described the incident as a "hijacking."