Geneva: The European Union on Tuesday urged China to stop using force against Tibetan protesters and said the demonstrations should be peaceful.

The EU told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva that it is deeply concerned about the unrest in Tibet and that it is spreading to other regions of China.

"We urge Chinese authorities to refrain from using force against those involved in unrest and call on demonstrators to desist from violence", said Slovenia's Ambassador Andrej Logar, who currently represents the 7-nation bloc at the UN body.

The Chinese government should lift restrictions to movement and information, he said.

"The EU stresses the importance it attaches to the right of freedom of expression and peaceful protest," Logar said, adding that the Chinese government should address Tibetans human rights concerns.

Several days of anti-government protests led by monks spiraled into violence on March 4 in Tibet s capital Lhasa. The government says at least 22 people have died in Lhasa, while Tibetan right groups say nearly 140 Tibetans were killed, including 19 in Gansu province.

A protest in Sinchuan province on Monday ended in a deadly clash between demonstrators and police, reportedly leaving a policeman and at least one monk dead.

The continued Tibetan resistance and the hardline stance by officials has put China's human rights record under the spotlight and has frustrated the communist leadership, which is hoping for a smooth run-up to the August 8-24 Beijing Olympics.

China has banned foreign journalists from traveling to the protest areas, making it extremely difficult to verify any information.

Source : PTI