A/HRC/54/61 charges. UN agencies further received reports of banks closing the accounts of civil society organizations receiving international funding, following the issuance of the legal opinion. 102. On 13 March, the Government of National Unity announced its support to the legal opinion in Circular no. 5803 issued by the Director of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Prime Minister’s Office. The Circular affirmed the illegality of civil society organizations that were not established in accordance with Law Nr. (19) of 2001 on the reorganization of civil associations. Reportedly, on 6 April 2023, a coalition of 22 civil society organizations signed a statement denouncing the legal opinion. 18. Maldives 103. The case of the women’s human rights organization Uthema and its members was included in the 2021 report of the Secretary-General124 on allegations of online smearing campaigns, threats by religious groups and individuals, and a police investigation for blasphemy following the publication of its alternative report submitted to the Committee on Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).125 The Committee addressed the allegations and the Government responded. 104. According to information received by OHCHR, and following repeated enquiries, Uthema was officially informed by the Maldives Police Service in March 2023 that the case against it has been temporarily put on hold – not closed – due to insufficient evidence. To date, Uthema has reportedly not received updates on the investigation undertaken in response to the communication it submitted in June 2020 to the Maldives Police Service regarding the targeted on-line harassment, intimidation and smear campaign against the organization, including direct threats against individuals affiliated with Uthema. 105. The case of the human rights organization Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN) and its members was included in the 2018 and 2021 reports of the Secretary-General126 for an investigation allegedly in connection with their participation in an NGO side event in the margins of the June 2017 127 Human Rights Council, and online harassment and threats, including death threats, following a joint submission to the 2020 Universal Periodic Review of the Maldives.128 In 2019, the MDN was deregistered reportedly in connection to a 2016 report on radicalization.129 In 2020, due to the continued threats, MDN’s members relocated abroad. 106. According to information received by OHCHR, during the period Ms. Shahindha Ismail, Executive Director of MDN, faced undue challenges while seeking redress for MDN’s deregistration and subsequent seizure of bank accounts. On 19 September 2022, Ms. Ismail filed a lawsuit at the Civil Court of Maldives contesting the freezing of MDN’s bank accounts and transfer of funds to an undisclosed location. On 9 November 2022, the Registrar of the court decided not to register the case. The Registrar noted that Ms. Ismail did not have the standing to file a lawsuit on the matter, that MDN was a legal entity and therefore it should be able to file lawsuits in its own capacity, disregarding the fact that MDN was deregistered in 2019. On 21 November 2022, an appeal was filed against the Registrar’s decision. As of the end of the reporting period, the case was still ongoing. 107. On 28 March 2023, the Civil Court of Maldives ruled on a lawsuit that Ms. Ismail filed in 2020 against the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment claiming that MDN’s deregistration had been carried out without due process. The court ruled that the 124 125 126 127 128 129 64 A/HRC/48/28, Annex I paras. 70–71. tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/treatybodyexternal/SessionDetails1.aspx?SessionID=2489&Lang =en. A/HRC/39/41, Annex I paras. 71–72; A/HRC/48/28, Annex I paras. 87–89 and 91. MDV 1/2018; MDV 3/2018; see government replies at https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=34215. https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=34216. See Universal Periodic Review joint submission 5 at https://uprdoc.ohchr.org/uprweb/downloadfile.aspx?filename=7986&file=EnglishTranslation. MDV 1/2019; see government reply at https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=35112. GE.23-15378