A/HRC/42/30 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 rejects as untrue the allegations that the persons mentioned were subject to any punitive, restrictive, reprisal or judicial measure because of their cooperation with the UN. 19. Iraq 58. On 2 October 2018, five special procedures mandate holders raised concern over allegations of unlawful arrest, enforced disappearance and torture against Mr. Imad Al Tamimi and acts of intimidation and threats against Ms. Israa Al Dujaili, human rights defenders and volunteers for the non-governmental human rights organization Al Wissam Humanitarian Assembly, which documents cases of enforced disappearances in Iraq for their submission to the United Nations human rights mechanisms (IRQ 3/2018, and A/HRC/40/60/Add.1, paras. 597, 600–601). The mandate holders raised concern about other employees and volunteers of Al Wissam Humanitarian Assembly who have previously been subjected to acts of intimidation and reprisal, in particular related to the submission of cases and information to the Committee on Enforced Disappearances82 and to the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, which they said may represent a pattern (see below and IRQ 1/2016; IRQ 2/2018). 59. On 14 July 2018, Mr. Al Tamimi participated in a peaceful demonstration held on Mutanabbi Street in Baghdad and was reportedly abducted by members of the Special Weapons and Tactics Unit (SWAT) in the vicinity of the “Medical City” in Baghdad. He was forced into a black pick-up truck and taken to an unknown location for interrogation, where he was subjected to acts of torture for the first two weeks of his detention. He remained secretly detained until 7 September 2018 when he was released. 60. On 27 August 2018, Ms. Al Dujaili went to a copy shop near Al Nasser Square in Baghdad to collect posters advertising events organized by Al Wissam Humanitarian Assembly for the 2018 International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances. After leaving the shop, men allegedly connected to the Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) questioned her about the posters, and she was verbally assaulted and threatened. Ms. Al Dujaili sought refuge elsewhere for fear of retaliation. 61. It was further reported that in December 2018, Mr. Riyad Al Karawi, a representative of Al Wissam Humanitarian Assembly in Diwanyia, received threats and harassment in relation to the documentation of cases for the Working Group on Involuntary and Enforced Disappearances. Mr. Al Karawi also received threats and was intimidated in the context of his participation in a number of demonstrations in November and December 2018 against enforced disappearances. Mr. Al Karawi fled Iraq at the end of 2018 for security reasons. 20. Israel 62. On 31 May 2019, three special procedures mandate holders (ISR 8/2019) addressed a letter to the Government about State publications appearing to stigmatize civil society organizations for their engagement with international bodies, including the UN in the field of human rights, and also noted reports of harassment of civil society organizations engaging with UN human rights mechanisms. They refer to a May 2018 report83 published 82 83 A/71/56, paras. 55–58; A/HRC/33/19, para. 23. http://eipa.eu.com/publicaffairs/wp-content/uploads/The-Money-Trail_English.pdf. 29