A/HRC/45/36 Turkey 115. In December 2019, special procedure mandate holders addressed the legal action, including the international travel ban, against Ms. Nurcan Kaya, a minority rights defender, preventing her from participating in a conference with the Special Rapporteur on minority issues and the twelfth session, held in November 2019, of the Forum on Minority Issues (TUR 11/2019).74 On 13 July 2020, the Government responded. Uzbekistan 116. During and after his September 2019 visit to Uzbekistan, the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers expressed regret that some lawyers and civil society activists had reported surveillance and intimidation prior to or following their meetings with him (see A/HRC/44/47/Add.1). He called on the Government to ensure the physical and mental integrity of those who interacted with him, and to carry out an investigation.75 In December 2019, the Special Rapporteur addressed incidents concerning activists Mr. Dilmurod Madaliev, Mr. Akhmadjon Madmarov, Mr. Ganikhon Mamatkhonov and Mr. Akzam Turgunov (UZB 5/2019). 117. In November 2019, the Committee against Torture welcomed the release of human rights defenders and journalists since September 2016, including Mr. Turgunov (CAT/C/UZB/CO/5, para. 16, referring to CAT/C/UZB/CO/4, para. 8). The Committee recommended that Uzbekistan ensure that human rights defenders and journalists, including those sharing information with the United Nations, were able to work safely and effectively (CAT/C/UZB/CO/5, para. 18 (c)). 118. Annex II contains new developments in the situation of Ms. Elena Urlaeva. On 22 June 2020, the Government responded. Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 119. The High Commissioner addressed reprisals in connection with the preparation of her report of July 2019 on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the need for OHCHR to protect the identity of its sources (A/HRC/41/18, para. 6). In September 2019, she expressed concern that, following the report’s publication, some civil society representatives that had collaborated with OHCHR had suffered public denouncement and threats by senior officials.76 120. In September 2019, in its resolution 42/25 (para. 28), the Human Rights Council urged the authorities to engage with the United Nations human rights system and to ensure that all individuals had unhindered access to and could communicate with the United Nations without fear of reprisal, intimidation or attack. In December 2019, the Assistant Secretary-General addressed patterns of intimidation and reprisals in writing to the Government. 121. Annex II contains new developments in the situations of the NGO Programa Venezolano de Educación y Acción en Derechos Humanos (Provea), Ms. Maria Lourdes Afiuni and Mr. Fernando Albán. Viet Nam 122. In January 2020, special procedure mandate holders addressed the reported confiscation of the passport of Ms. Dinh Thi Phuong Thao, a human rights defender and pro-democracy activist who had publicly engaged with the United Nations (VNM 5/2019).77 123. In March 2020, special procedure mandate holders addressed alleged reprisals, including arbitrary arrest and possible enforced disappearance, against Ms. Truong Thi Ha, 74 75 76 77 See also https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=35149. See www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=25043&LangID=E. See www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=24958&LangID=E. See also https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=35202. 17