A/HRC/45/36 with the investigating agencies, and should not try to leave the country till the investigations are completed. 14. Iran (Islamic Republic of) 77. The 2019 report of the Secretary-General (A/HRC/42/30, para. 59 and Annex I, para. 54–55) noted that journalists of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Persian service were allegedly subject to stigmatization and threats against family members for their statements at the Human Rights Council (see also IRN 29/2017; A/HRC/37/68, para. 34).50 78. In his July 2019 report, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran drew attention to the reprisals faced by staff and family of the BBC Persian service, in particular female staff, through personal and gendered attacks on social media (A/74/188, para. 25), addressed on 5 March 2020 by special procedures mandate holders (IRN 4/2020). On 11 March 2020, they noted that “Journalists working for the BBC Persian Service and other Farsi-language news outlets outside Iran have faced threats, criminal investigations, unlawful surveillance, freezing of assets, defamation and harassment by Iranian authorities. Several journalists have also been targeted for going public about the harassment and seeking protection from the UN.”51 15. Israel 79. The case of Mr. Omar Shakir, of Human Rights Watch, was included in the 2019 and 2018 reports of the Secretary-General (A/HRC/42/30, para. 62 and Annex II, para. 65; A/HRC/39/41, para. 53 and Annex I, para. 68). On 8 November 2019, special procedures mandate holders criticized a decision by the Israeli Supreme Court upholding the Government’s decision to revoke the work visa of Mr. Shakir.52 The order was based, inter alia, on allegations that Mr. Shakir would support a boycott of Israel, including alleged statements by Mr. Shakir in support of a database produced by the UN 53 on businesses that operate in Israeli settlements.54 80. On 5 November 2019, following appeals, the Israeli Supreme Court ruled to deport Mr. Shakir from the occupied Palestinian territory. A January 2020 report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights noted that “the Court stated that Mr. Shakir’s past activism with the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement and his work with Human Rights Watch constituted calls for boycotts against Israel, all of which were aimed at Israeli settlements” (A/HRC/43/70, para. 66). It further noted that “the Court held that the meaning of “a public call for boycott against Israel” under the Entry into Israel (Amendment No. 28) Law that would allow for entry to be denied “includes boycott that is based on the identification of the Israeli control in the [occupied Palestinian] territories as a violation of international law” (para. 66). 81. The 2019 report of the Secretary-General (A/HRC/42/30, paras. 61–62, Annex I, paras. 62–66, Annex II, paras. 63–65) addressed intimidation and reprisals of civil society at UN events in relation to their cooperation with UN human rights mechanisms. Special procedures mandate holders noted incidents involving harassment against civil society representatives during the 40th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva (ISR 8/2019), and it was reported to OHCHR that similar incidents occurred during the 41st and 50 51 52 53 54 66 http://webtv.un.org/search/third-committee-28th-meeting-general-assembly-73rdsession/5852054352001/?term=2018-10-22&sort=date&page=1. OHCHR, “Iran: targeting of journalists threatens freedom of press, say UN experts” (11 March 2020), https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=25706&LangID=E. OHCHR, “UN experts condemn Israeli decision to expel Omar Shakir of Human Rights Watch,” (8 November 2019), https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=25265&LangID=E. Human Rights Council resolution 31/36. See also OHCHR, “UN experts call on Israel not to overturn deportation of Human Rights Watch director,” (25 April 2019), https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=24516&LangID=E.