A/HRC/42/30 52. On 18 June 2019 the Government responded that the allegations were false and inaccurate and based on political bias. 17. India 53. In June 2018, Mr. Thirumurugan Gandhi, an environmental human rights defender in Tamil Nadu, participated in the 38th session of the Human Rights Council where he delivered statements, was a panelist in various side events, and met two special procedures mandate holders. Mr. Gandhi denounced the killing of 13 people in May 2018 in Tuticorin City (Tamil Nadu) due to excessive use of force by police against peaceful demonstrators protesting Sterlite Industries, a copper smelter plant reportedly causing environmental pollution in the area. Upon his return to India, on 9 August 2018, Mr. Gandhi was arrested at the Kempegowda International Airport, brought before the Metropolitan Magistrate in Chennai the following day and then sent to Puzhal Central Prison, following which he was transferred to Vellore Central Prison. On 2 October 2018, he was released on bail. An incident of detention pertaining to Mr. Gandhi had previously been addressed by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in November 2017 (A/HRC/WGAD/2017/88). He was reportedly charged under the ‘Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act,’ including for sedition. 18. Iran (Islamic Republic of) 54. In January 2019, journalists of British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Persian or BBC Farsi, the Persian language news channel of BBC World Service, reported patterns of harassment and threats in relation to action taken by special procedures mandate holders and the journalists’ statements at the 37th, 38th and 39th sessions of the Human Rights Council. Journalists reported being called ‘anti-Iranian’ and being accused of undermining Iran for their statements at the UN. In March 2018 they were reportedly followed and questioned at and in relation to their participation in the Human Rights Council in Geneva. Another journalist reported threats against family members, including warnings about their son participating in the UN advocacy work related to special procedure communications. 55. It was reported that on 22 October 2018, during a presentation with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression during the Third Committee of the General Assembly, the Government of Iran accused BBC Persian of “pumping blind hate, fabricating false news and provoking disruption and destruction.”80 BBC Persian journalists were also reportedly attacked in various state media and subjected to abusive, aggressive tweets in response to coverage of BBC Persian issues being raised in UN fora, such as accusing the journalists of undermining national security, being involved in terrorism, and being puppets of the Government of the United Kingdom. The intimidation and investigation of BBC Persian staff, former staff and contributors had previously been the subject of action by two special procedures mandate holders in October 2017 (IRN 29/2017) 81 and raised in the March 2018 report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran (A/HRC/37/68, para. 34). 56. On 15 January 2019 the General Assembly in resolution 73/181 on the Situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran called upon Iran “to release persons detained for the exercise of their human rights and fundamental freedoms … and to end reprisals against individuals, including for cooperating or attempting to cooperate with the United Nations human rights mechanisms (A/RES/73/181, para. 13).” 57. On 24 June 2019, the Government responded in writing to the allegations of intimidation and reprisals against BBC Persian journalists indicating that the incidents mentioned are not related nor attributed to cooperation with the UN. The Government 80 81 30 http://webtv.un.org/search/third-committee-28th-meeting-general-assembly-73rdsession/5852054352001/?term=2018-10-22&sort=date&page=1. OHCHR, “UN experts call on Iran to stop intimidation of BBC staff,” (27 October 2017). GE.19-15332