HR defenders: They want to cover things up in Kanavalau-Kavalyou case

Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee Harry Pahanyayla has called Uladzislau Kavalyou’s execution an "irrational behavior of a sick person", in an interview with Radio Liberty.  It is hard for him to imagine what lies behind such a rapid execution of the sentence. However, many of those who expressed doubts with regard to fairness of the sentence, numerous contradictions during the investigation and the trial itself, were right. 

In Mr. Pahanyayla's opinion, many of those who were connected with this trial simply want to cover things up by acting like this. "I think that the person on whom the destinies of these youngsters depended (especially Kavalyou's destiny as many people thought that Kavalyou might be pardoned and it should have been worth it to pardon him) acted on the wave of strict confrontation, criticism and sharp talk with the West. It is known that the United Nation's Human Rights Committee is considering the appeals of both the convict and his mother", - the human rights defender has said.

This demonstrates contempt and ignorance of the set international order and the authority of the international human rights bodies, Harry Pahanyayla has said. 

Human rights defender Tatsyana Ravyaka has called such rapid execution of the sentence outrageous, as the supervisory appeal hasn't been considered yet. She has noted in a comment to "Solidarity" that at least minimal legal norms should be followed. "This is simply a demonstration of force, brutal approach not only to the law, but to these people in the first place".

According to Tatsyana Ravyaka, another death convict, robber and murderer from Homel Ihar Myatlik, whose pardon appeal had also been declined, could have been executed together with Kanavalau and Kavalyou, as no one had received letters from him for three weeks.

In the opinion of another human rights defender Lyudmila Hraznova, the authorities are really covering things up, and this is happening while the UN Human Rights Committee is holding a session.

"They shoot people while the Committee is considering the appeal on purpose, in order to provoke a conflict situation. The only thing is, who needs this?" - Hraznova has said.