A/HRC/45/36 Council delegation reported that one woman was forced to cancel her participation in the meeting due to a threat received the previous night.16 29. On 13 July 2020, the Government responded to the note verbale sent in connection to the present report and highlighted that the Security Council delegation’s meeting took place with full guarantees for all, including social leaders, women leaders of the community and former combatants. The Government stated that the summary provided does not contain enough information to allow for an investigation, given it concerns an incident for which it did not receive reports, nor the name of the individual concerned. 10. Comoros 30. On 18 June 2019, the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment announced that he had suspended his visit to the Comoros because access to several detention facilities and detainees was obstructed. 17 In his January 2020 report, he noted that “after three attempts, and an ad hoc emergency meeting with the authorities, he had been unable to access all persons deprived of their liberty in accordance with the terms of reference of his mandate” (A/HRC/43/49/Add.1, para. 1). According to the Special Rapporteur, many interlocutors, in particular victims, reportedly took personal risks to meet with him (para.7), and he observed an atmosphere of fear and tension when meeting with civil society representatives (para. 21). During interviews with detainees, the Special Rapporteur “noted their perceptible reluctance to speak about ill-treatment, in large part because of their distrust towards the authorities, and also because of their fear of reprisals” (para. 50). 31. On 28 February 2020, at the Human Rights Council, the representative of the Government of the Comoros stated that the problems regarding access during the visit could be explained by two reasons: that awareness of the importance of these human rights issues is not yet present at regional and local levels, and that the lack of understanding and cooperation exhibited by some local bodies was due to a lack of information, which should have been provided by the central administration. The representative noted that there was no manifest desire on the part of the authorities to harm in any way the conduct of the visit.18 11. Cuba 32. It was reported to OHCHR that the practice (included in the 2018 and 2019 reports of the Secretary-General) of imposing temporary travel restrictions (“regulating”) on human rights defenders and/or political opponents attempting to engage with the UN, among other individuals, continued during the reporting period. 19 While the 2012 amendment of the Migration Law removed the exit permit requirement for individuals, authorities reportedly continue to impose travel restrictions on those expressing critical views or dissent (see Annex II). According to reports to OHCHR, travel restrictions reportedly derive from an order of the Ministry of the Interior’s department of State Security and are disclosed orally, without written documents or prior notification. Individuals who manage to travel abroad are reportedly interrogated and intimidated upon return. 33. On 3 July 2019, a group of Member States in the Human Rights Council noted they “remained concerned regarding all acts of intimidation or reprisal against human rights 16 17 18 19 SC/13891, 19 July 2019, 8580th Meeting(am), https://www.un.org/press/en/2019/sc13891.doc.htm. OHCHR, “UN expert on torture suspends Comoros visit after continued obstructions,” (18 June 2019), https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=24704&LangID=E. Inter-active Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Torture, 12th Meeting, 43rd Regular Session Human Rights Council, 28 February 2020, http://webtv.un.org/search/id-sr-on-torture-12th-meeting43rd-regular-session-human-rights-council/6136876421001/?term=&lan=english&cat=Regular%2043rd%20session&sort=date&page=6#player. OHCHR, Press Briefing Note, Spokesperson of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (11 May 2018), https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=23071&LangID=E; see also A/HRC/39/41, paras. 34–35 and A/HRC/42/30, para. 48. 25