Italy is concerned at the deadly crackdown in Belarus against pro-democracy protestors following Sunday's disputed re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko concerns Italy, foreign undersecretary Ivan Scalfarotto said in a statement on Thursday.
"We express all our concern and associate ourselves with the appeals of the President of the European Parliament, Mr Sassoli, and High Representative Borrell on the situation in Belarus," on the eve of an emergency European Union foreign ministers' summit taking place on Friday.
"The Government's repression must be stopped immediately and the violence must be followed by the start of a dialogue with the opposition and civil society. The European Union is above all a community of values and cannot remain insensitive to violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms against citizens who peacefully express their will for change and their desire for democracy", concluded Scalfarotto.
At least 6,700 people have been arrested in Belarus with week with hundreds injured and at least two have died.
