The Republic of Belarus, a landlocked East European nation bordered by Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia received a strong rebuke from the United Nations Human Rights committee for its second breach in two years when it executed Oleg Grishkovtsov, age 29, and Andrei Burdyko, age 28. UN News Centre Reports “The United Nations Human Rights Committee today accused Belarus of violating its international agreements by executing two persons while their cases were still under review by the committee. The committee – an independent body supervising compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) – expressed “dismay” that the executions were the second such breach by Belarus in two years. According to a press statement issued by the committee, Oleg Grishkovtsov and Andrei Burdyko had alleged that they were subjected to torture at the pre-trial investigation stage and did not receive a fair trial. Media reports indicated the two were found guilty of premeditated murder, armed assault, arson, kidnapping of a minor, theft and robbery. The committee had asked authorities in Belarus not to carry out the executions while their cases were under consideration. The exact date of the executions remains unknown but it is presumed that they took place between 13 and 19 July.” Neither man denied the charges, and the Supreme Court in Minsk turned down the appeals. President Lukashenka (pictured in photo) turned down clemency requests. Amnesty International, the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, and the Human Rights Centre “Vyasna” condemned the punishment. “The death penalty is not the answer to violent crime. At a time when the world is moving towards abolition of the death penalty, Belarus is taking a step backwards,” said Halya Gowan, director of Amnesty International's Europe and Central Asia Programme. From Amnesty International “Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception. It violates the right to life, as proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. In Belarus, prisoners on death row are told that they will be executed only moments before the sentence is carried out. They are shot in the back of the head; sometimes more than one bullet is needed. The body is not handed over to the family, who are often informed only afterwards, and the place of burial is kept secret, causing further distress to relatives.” Belarus is a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States, a collection of former Soviet Republics, which formed after the Soviet Union’s breakup. Among this group, the Republic of Belarus is ranked highest in the Human Development Index. This index provides actuarial life expectancy, literacy, educational, and standards of living statistics. It is a key barometer of child welfare and economic policies affecting quality of life. In this case, too many lives were ended prematurely. Was justice served? ---By, Susan Sacirbey Become a Facebook Fan at: “Diplomatically Incorrect” and “War Crimes Justice” Follow on TWITTER @: DiplomaticallyX Related Film & Blog Reports: “Death Sentence Violates Due Process” - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/blog_post/texas-death-sentence-violating-due-process-rights-by-ambassador-mo/30808 “US Executes & Violates International Law – UN” By, Ambassador Mo diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/blog_post/us-executes-violates-international-law-un-by-ambassador-mo/30945 “War Crimes Justice Channel” diplomaticallyincorrect.org/c/war-crimes-justice “Diplomatically Incorrect Channel” diplomaticallyincorrect.org/c/diplomatically-incorrect