Belarus executes both men convicted of Minsk metro bombing

Belarus has executed both men convicted of a Minsk metro bombing that killed 15 people in the nation's worst attack since its post-Soviet independence, state TV reports.

The report came a day after the sister of one of the two men, Vladislav Kovalyov, who had pleaded not guilty to acting as an accomplice, had told AFP that authorities had informed her of her brother's execution by gunshot.

On Sunday state TV reported that Dmitry Konovalov, who was convicted of carrying out the April 11 attack, had also been put to death. Konovalov did not plead for clemency and his family never spoke to reporters during the high-profile trial.

Both executions were carried out on Friday, the TV report said.

The blast struck a busy metro station near the office of President Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled the nation of nearly 10 million people with an iron grip for almost 18 years.

The quick inquiry and lack of motives behind the two 25-year-old factory workers' attack sparked accusations that the tragedy was a plot by the security services to justify a crackdown against Lukashenko's political foes.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Friday urged Belarus not to carry out the executions, calling for Minsk to enter a moratorium on the use of the death penalty.