A_AT0 photo_NN1 taken_VVN on_PRP Sunday_NP0 shows_VVZ a_AT0 Ryanair_NP0 passenger_NN1 plane_NN1 that_CJT was_VBD intercepted_VVN and_CJC diverted_VVN to_PRP Minsk_NP0 by_PRP Belarus_NP0 authorities_NN2 ._SENT Minsk_NP0 diverted_VVD the_AT0 flight_NN1 so_AV0 that_CJT it_PNP could_VM0 arrest_VVI opposition_NN1 activist_NN1 Roman_NP0 Protasevich_NP0 ._SENT The_AT0 White_AJ0 House_NN1 on_PRP Friday_NP0 night_NN1 announced_VVD a_AT0 series_NN0 of_PRF sanctions_NN2 against_PRP Belarus_NP0 for_PRP its_DPS forced_AJ0 landing_NN1 of_PRF a_AT0 Ryanair_NP0 commercial_AJ0 flight_NN1 and_CJC the_AT0 subsequent_AJ0 removal_NN1 and_CJC arrest_NN1 of_PRF opposition_NN1 journalist_NN1 Roman_NP0 Protasevich_NP0 ._SENT In_PRP a_AT0 statement_NN1 ,_PUN White_AJ0 House_NN1 press_NN1 secretary_NN1 Jen_NP0 Psaki_NP0 called_VVD the_AT0 country_NN1 's_POS action_NN1 "_PUQ a_AT0 direct_AJ0 affront_NN1 to_PRP international_AJ0 norms_NN2 ._SENT "_PUQ The_AT0 Sunday_NP0 flight_NN1 diversion_NN1 ,_PUN made_VVN under_PRP the_AT0 false_AJ0 pretense_NN1 of_PRF a_AT0 bomb_NN1 being_VBG onboard_NN1 the_AT0 aircraft_NN0 ,_PUN comes_VVZ as_PRP the_AT0 government_NN1 of_PRF Belarusian_NP0 President_NP0 Alexander_NP0 Lukashenko_NP0 faces_VVZ growing_AJ0 outcry_NN1 from_PRP the_AT0 West_NN1 for_PRP the_AT0 nation_NN1 's_POS recent_AJ0 crackdowns_NN2 on_PRP free_AJ0 speech_NN1 and_CJC public_AJ0 dissent_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ These_DT0 events_NN2 took_VVD place_NN1 amid_PRP an_AT0 escalating_AJ0 wave_NN1 of_PRF repression_NN1 by_PRP the_AT0 Lukashenka_NP0 regime_NN1 against_PRP the_AT0 aspirations_NN2 of_PRF the_AT0 people_NN0 of_PRF Belarus_NP0 for_PRP democracy_NN1 and_CJC human_AJ0 rights_NN2 ,_PUN "_PUQ Psaki_NP0 said_VVD in_PRP a_AT0 statement_NN1 ._SENT In_PRP response_NN1 to_PRP Protasevich_NP0 's_POS arrest_NN1 ,_PUN Psaki_NP0 said_VVD the_AT0 United_NP0 States_NP0 had_VHD issued_VVN a_AT0 travel_NN1 advisory_AJ0 urging_VVG U.S._NP0 citizens_NN2 not_XX0 to_TO0 travel_VVI to_PRP Belarus_NP0 ,_PUN would_VM0 reimpose_VVI sanctions_NN2 on_PRP nine_CRD Belarusian_AJ0 state-owned_AJ0 enterprises_NN2 ,_PUN and_CJC would_VM0 develop_VVI increased_AJ0 sanctions_NN2 against_PRP the_AT0 Eastern_AJ0 European_AJ0 nation_NN1 's_POS government_NN1 ,_PUN among_PRP other_AJ0 actions_NN2 ._SENT "_PUQ We_PNP take_VVB these_DT0 measures_NN2 ,_PUN together_AV0 with_PRP our_DPS partners_NN2 and_CJC Allies_NN2 ,_PUN to_TO0 hold_VVI the_AT0 regime_NN1 accountable_AJ0 for_PRP its_DPS actions_NN2 and_CJC to_TO0 demonstrate_VVI our_DPS commitment_NN1 to_PRP the_AT0 aspirations_NN2 of_PRF the_AT0 people_NN0 of_PRF Belarus_NP0 ,_PUN "_PUQ Psaki_NP0 said_VVD ._SENT "_PUQ We_PNP call_VVB on_PRP Lukashenka_NP0 to_TO0 allow_VVI a_AT0 credible_AJ0 international_AJ0 investigation_NN1 into_PRP the_AT0 events_NN2 of_PRF May_NP0 23_CRD ,_PUN immediately_AV0 release_VVB all_DT0 political_AJ0 prisoners_NN2 ,_PUN and_CJC enter_VVB into_PRP a_AT0 comprehensive_AJ0 and_CJC genuine_AJ0 political_AJ0 dialogue_NN1 with_PRP the_AT0 leaders_NN2 of_PRF the_AT0 democratic_AJ0 opposition_NN1 and_CJC civil_AJ0 society_NN1 groups_NN2 that_CJT leads_VVZ to_PRP the_AT0 conduct_NN1 of_PRF free_AJ0 and_CJC fair_AJ0 Presidential_AJ0 elections_NN2 under_PRP [_PUL Organization_NN1 for_PRP Security_NN1 and_CJC Cooperation_NN1 in_PRP Europe_NP0 ]_PUR auspices_NN2 and_CJC monitoring_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ The_AT0 26-year-old_AJ0 Protasevich_NP0 became_VVD a_AT0 political_AJ0 activist_NN1 as_PRP a_AT0 teenager_NN1 ._SENT During_PRP widespread_AJ0 anti-government_AJ0 protests_NN2 last_ORD year_NN1 ,_PUN Protasevich_NP0 became_VVD a_AT0 key_AJ0 figure_NN1 among_PRP opposition_NN1 activists_NN2 ,_PUN utilizing_VVG the_AT0 encrypted_AJ0 messaging_NN1 app_NN1 Telegram_NN1 to_TO0 organize_VVI demonstrations_NN2 ._SENT Lukashenko_NP0 ,_PUN a_AT0 six-term_AJ0 authoritarian_NN1 whose_DTQ most_DT0 recent_AJ0 election_NN1 win_NN1 was_VBD marred_VVN by_PRP accusations_NN2 of_PRF ballot_NN1 rigging_NN1 ,_PUN has_VHZ fashioned_VVN himself_PNX as_PRP an_AT0 international_AJ0 strongman_NN1 and_CJC is_VBZ often_AV0 referred_VVN to_PRP as_PRP Europe_NP0 's_POS last_ORD dictator_NN1 ._SENT In_PRP last_ORD year_NN1 's_POS Belarusian_AJ0 presidential_AJ0 election_NN1 ,_PUN Lukashenko_NP0 declared_VVD himself_PNX the_AT0 winner_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 race_NN1 ,_PUN claiming_VVG a_AT0 landslide_NN1 victory_NN1 with_PRP a_AT0 jaw-dropping_AJ0 80_CRD %_NN0 of_PRF the_AT0 vote_NN1 ._SENT His_DPS widely_AV0 disputed_AJ0 reelection_NN1 sparked_VVD international_AJ0 outrage_NN1 and_CJC was_VBD the_AT0 impetus_NN1 of_PRF massive_AJ0 protests_NN2 on_PRP the_AT0 streets_NN2 of_PRF Minsk_NP0 ._SENT 
