A/HRC/45/36 defenders (BHR 3/2019). On 31 December 2019, the Government2 affirmed Mr. Rajab’s health is continually monitored and provided a log for medical visits from 19 October to 3 December 2019. On 9 June 2020, Mr. Rajab was released pursuant to Act No. 18 of 2017 on Penalties and Alternative Measures. He will serve a non-custodial sentence for the remaining three years and has been reportedly forbidden from making statements to the media. 7. On 9 July 2020, the Government responded to the note verbale sent in connection with the present report affirming information on the charges and sentencing of individual cases. In particular it noted the release of Ms. Mansoor Hasan at the completion of her sentence. The Government affirmed the independence and integrity of the NIHR, stating that the alleged threats against Ms. Medina Ali are false. It highlighted the role of correctional and rehabilitation centres and the various national redress mechanisms, and affirmed the rights of those in detention to religious rituals. 2. Bangladesh 8. The case of human rights organization Odhikar and its Secretary Advocate, Mr. Adilur Rahman Khan, was included in the 2011 (A/HRC/18/19 paras. 25–26) and 2019 (A/HRC/42/30, para. 40 and Annex II, paras. 11–12) reports of the Secretary-General on alleged accusations of anti-State and anti-Government activities following their engagement in the first cycle of the UPR of Bangladesh in 2009. Odhikar’s bank account was frozen under the Foreign Donations (Voluntary Activities) Regulations Bill of 2016. 9. It was reported to OHCHR that, as of May 2020, Odhikar’s bank accounts remain frozen, preventing the organization from making banking transactions or receiving any funds, therefore severely limiting its capacity to operate. Similarly, Odhikar’s application to the NGO Affairs Bureau for the renewal of its registration remains pending since 2014. On 13 May 2019, Odhikar filed a Writ Petition (no. 5402/2019) to the High Court Division of the Supreme Court, which called upon the NGO Affairs Bureau to explain the non-renewal of Odikhar’s registration from 2015 onwards, to which there has been no response. 3. Burundi 10. The cases of human rights lawyers Mr. Armel Niyongere, Mr. Dieudonné Bashirahishize, Mr. Vital Nshimirimana and Mr. Lambert Nigarura were included in the 2019, 2018 and 2017 reports of the Secretary-General (A/HRC/42/30, Annex II, paras. 13–14; A/HRC/39/41, Annex II, paras. 12–13; and A/HRC/36/31, para. 24, Annex I, paras. 11–15). Three of the human rights lawyers were disbarred and one suspended by the Court of Appeal at the request of the Attorney General, following their cooperation with the Committee against Torture during the Committee’s consideration of a special report on Burundi in July 2016. The Committee has addressed the Government in writing on three occasions,3 and as of May 2020, no reply had been received to the Committee’s letters and the lawyers remain disbarred or suspended. The decision of the Court of Appeal has yet to be communicated to the four lawyers, thus still preventing them from making an appeal. 4. Cameroon 11. The case of Ms. Maximilienne Ngo Mbe, of the Central Africa Human Rights Defenders Network (REDHAC), was included in the 2019 (A/HRC/42/30, Annex II, paras. 15–16) and 2018 (A/HRC/39/41, para. 31, Annex I, paras. 7–8) reports of the SecretaryGeneral on allegations of threats, attacks, and surveillance following her cooperation with 2 3 https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=35089. Letter of 21 February 2017 https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CAT/Shared%20Documents /BDI/INT_CAT_RLE_BDI_26799_F.pdf, and letter of 12 August 2016 http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=INT%2fCAT%2fR LE%2fBDI%2f24879&Lang=en. 53