A/HRC/45/36 Missionaries of the Philippines. It reiterated that the allegations of harassment, intimidation and threats against Karapatan are baseless. 21. Poland 104. The case of Mr. Adam Bodnar, Poland’s Commissioner on Human Rights (ombudsperson), was included in the 2019 report of the Secretary-General on allegations of public stigmatization and attempts to remove him from office related to his cooperation with the Human Rights Committee (A/HRC/42/30, Annex I, paras. 89–90). In August 2019, the Committee against Torture expressed concern that Mr. Bodnar was reportedly called upon to resign by one of the Deputy Ministers of Justice on 24 July 2019, the day after the consideration of the seventh periodic report of Poland, which the Committee reviewed at its 67th session. The Office of Poland’s Commissioner for Human Rights had provided an alternative report that was posted on the session’s web page.65 The Committee expressed concern that the call for resignation may amount to reprisals against Mr. Bodnar, which would “constitute interference by the Executive in the functions of an institution established by the Legislature” (CAT/C/POL/CO/7, para 23 (c), (d)). 22. Russian Federation 105. The 2019 report of the Secretary-General (A/HRC/42/30, Annex II, para. 88) included that, in the context of the September 2018 UPR of the Russian Federation, States made recommendations regarding restrictive legislation, in particular, laws on “foreign agents” and “undesirable” organizations (A/HRC/39/13, paras. 147.61–67; 147.83–95). On 27 February 2020, in her statement to the Human Rights Council, the High Commissioner for Human Rights noted that “new amendments to the 2012 legislation on civil society known as the ‘foreign agent law,’ have further expanded its application to individuals who distribute foreign media, or publish material, while also receiving money from outside the country. It will have chilling effect on the exercise of freedom of expression and other forms of participation by the public in decision-making.”66 106. Alleged acts of intimidation and reprisal against CSIPN’s (see Annex I) director, Mr. Rodion Sulyandziga, in the form of confiscation of passport and prevention of travel to the UN World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, were addressed in October 2014 by special procedures mandate holders (RUS 8/2014; A/HRC/39/17, para. 69). On 29 July 2020, the Government responded to the note verbale in connection to the present report, stating that CSIPN and Mr. Sulyandziga had not been persecuted for cooperation with the UN (see Annex I). Previously the Government had confirmed that Mr. Sulyandziga’s passport was seized by the passport control unit of the Federal Security Service at Sheremetyevo International Airport because of cases against him for violating the borders regime.67 107. In reference to the national legislative framework, the Government stated that citizens’ right to association is guaranteed in Article 30 of the Constitution, and there is extensive legislation regulating citizens’ exercise of this right, including Federal Law No. 82-FZ of May 19, 1995 “On Public Associations,” the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, Federal Law of January 12, 1996 No. 7-ФЗ “On non-commercial organizations” and other regulations. Inclusion in the register of non-profit organizations performing the functions of a foreign agent does not prevent them from obtaining financial support from foreign and international organizations, foreign citizens and stateless persons, and thus it does not place them in a discriminatory position compared to non-profit organizations that do not receive foreign funding. 65 66 67 https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno =INT%2fCAT%2fINP%2fPOL%2f35300&Lang=en. https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=25621&LangID=E. https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=32215. 71