The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

At least 50 people have been injured in Belarus after a bomb exploded during a concert in the capital, Minsk. The event was taking place in the centre of the city to mark the official Independence Day (former day of the country’s liberation from Nazi troops). President Alexander Lukashenka, whose rule has been denounced as autocratic by the US and the European Union, was attending the concert.

On 1 July the members of the liquidated cultural and educational NGO Stary Horad which used to operate on the territory of Brest filed a complaint to the UN Human Rights Committee against the liquidation. Stary Horad was registered in 1992 for support of the public and cultural initiatives of Brest residents, aimed at development and wellbeing of their city. On 12 April 2007 Brest oblast court ruled to liquidate the organization on suit of Brest oblast executive committee.

The administration of the Belarusian trade union or radio electronic industry demands that Leninski district procuracy of Hrodna take the necessary measures in connection with the illegal confiscation of copies of the Haradzenskaya Salidarnasts newspaper from the member of the trade union Uladzimir Tabola.

The court confessed that the article published by the newspaper concerning the doctor Natallia Kiman was based on real facts which were confirmed by the investigation.

Activist of the youth organization Civil Forum Artsiom Zabaryn was taken to the Minsk mental hospital for examination after he had refused to answer questions of the KGB offices.

Pavel Yukhnevich, activist of the European Belarus civil campaign, is serving his 7-day arrest in the jail on Akrestin Street in Minsk since yesterday.