German Chancellor Angela Merkel marked next week’s International Day of Democracy by reiterating her condemnation of the violent crackdown in Belarus, Bloomberg reported.

“We are watching developments in Belarus with great concern,” she said in her weekly podcast published on the German government’s website. “The commitment to democracy there [in Belarus] is literally being trampled. Our heart beats with the peaceful protesters. The courage and determination with which they take to the streets for freedom and the rule of law is admirable.”

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko has faced massive protests since his re-election in August, the most serious challenge yet to his 26-year-rule, and his regime has cracked down on opposition leaders in the country.