UN accuses Belarus of violating international agreements

• 28.07.2011, 2:26

Belarus has violated its international agreements by executing two persons while their cases were still under review by the UN Human Rights Committee.

The committee had asked authorities in Belarus not to carry out the executions while their cases were under consideration, but the committee's request was ignored, the UN news centre says.

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.

The exact date of the executions remains unknown but it is presumed that they took place between 13 and 19 July, 2011.

The committee sent a letter on June 21 to Belarus’ Permanent Mission in Geneva, expressing concern over the executions of Oleg Grishkovtsov and Andrei Burdyko and asking to give explanations. There has not been any reply so far.

Zonke Zanele Majodina, the committee’s chairperson, said: “Our requests for interim measures of protection are aimed at averting irreparable harm to alleged victims of human rights violations. The committee deplores the fact that, by proceeding to execute these two individuals, Belarus has committed a grave breach of its obligations under the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”

It is the second case for the last two years when Belarus has carried out executions while their cases under consideration of of the UN.

The United Nations Human Rights Committee was created in accordance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It consists of 18 experts. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights was adopted by the General Assembly in 1966 and came into force in 1976.

An optional protocol to the Covenant allows an individual complaints mechanism. Individuals can submit complaints to the Human Rights Committee if their rights, guaranteed by the Covenant, were violated.