#Merkel – Belarusian government must avoid violence and start national dialogue

“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 said in a statement.

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% of the vote.