The German Chancellor Angela Merkel talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone on Tuesday regarding the situation in Belarus and made it clear that the government of Belarus should avoid using force against the peaceful protesters, her spokesperson mentioned.
"The chancellor stressed that the Belarusian government must avoid violence towards peaceful demonstrators, immediately release political prisoners and start a national dialogue with the opposition and society in order to overcome the crisis," Steffen Seibert mentioned in a statement.
Merkel Talks With Putin
Alexander Lukashenko, the leader of Belarus, faces the threat of European Union sanctions after a bloody crackdown on protests following what demonstrators say was his rigged re-election victory last week. He cites official results that gave him just over 80 percent of the vote.
(With agency inputs)
