A/HRC/42/30
contact. Annex II contains allegations of continued acts of reprisal against Mr. Germán
Graciano Posso.
Cuba
48.
In August 2018, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
addressed travel restrictions against defenders, which had prevented them from
participating in its session on Cuba (see CERD/C/CUB/CO/19-21, paras. 13–14). It was
reported to OHCHR that Mr. Norberto Mesa Carbonell, a defender of the rights of people
of African descent, had received threats of legal action against close relatives in July 2018
when preparing a submission to the Committee. In August 2018, the Committee addressed
the allegations in writing and the Government responded on 15 October 2018. Annex II
includes allegations of continued acts of intimidation and reprisals against Mr. Juan
Antonio Madrazo Luna and Ms. Dora L. Mesa. In December 2018, the Assistant SecretaryGeneral addressed the situation of Ms. Mesa in writing and, on 16 January 2019 and 21
June 2019, the Government responded.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
49.
It was reported that, in February 2019, a member of civil society in Kwilu Ngongo
(Kongo Central Province) had been publicly vilified and removed from his job by a local
authority for sharing information about violations with the United Nations Joint Human
Rights Office of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).
50.
On 12 April 2019, special procedures mandate holders addressed the Government of
the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Government of China, the Weihai International
Economic & Technical Cooperative Co., Ltd, and the World Bank concerning death threats
and kidnapping attempts against defenders with the Réseau d’aide aux femmes et enfants
nécessiteux for cooperation with the World Bank (COD 1/2019, CHN 2/2019, OTH
15/2019 and OTH 16/2019). Defenders had denounced violations related to the building of
the Bukavu-Goma road of the High-Priority Roads Reopening and Maintenance (ProRoutes)
project. The Government of China responded on 21 May 201942 and the World Bank on 7
June 2019.43
Egypt
51.
On 2 November 2018, special procedures mandate holders addressed allegations of
forced eviction and violations of the rights to physical integrity, liberty and security in what
appeared to be “a pattern” of acts of intimidation and reprisals against individuals who had
cooperated with the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to
an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context, during
her visit to Egypt in 2018.44 On 1 January 2019, the Government responded.45
52.
It was reported that in March 2019 representatives of civil society had experienced
harassment and surveillance during the Human Rights Council session and its side events.
Annex II contains allegations of continued acts of reprisal against Mr. Ebrahim
Abdelmonem Metwally Hegazy and Dr. Ahmed Shawky Abdelsattar Mohamed Amasha, as
well as staff from the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies and members of their
families, Mr. Bahey El Din Hassan and Mr. Mohamed Zaree, and addresses legislation
restricting civil society.
42
43
44
45
10
Response from Government (official translation pending) available at:
https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=34713.
https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=34732.
See https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=23671&LangID=E;
EGY 16/2018; and A/HRC/40/60/Add.1 and A/HRC/40/60/Add.1/Corr.1, paras. 585 and 593.
https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=34459.