A/HRC/51/47 NGOs have been portrayed as conspiring against the country, encouraging an agenda of aggression against the country, and of publishing false accusations. 29. Viet Nam 156. The case of Mr. Nguyen Tuong Thuy, vice chairperson of the Independent Journalist Association of Vietnam (IJAVN) and a human rights defender, was included in the 2021 report of the Secretary-General201 on allegations of police action to prevent him from meeting with UN representatives in 2018 (VNM 3/2020).202 The incident was not publicly reported at the time for fear of further retribution. In January 2021, Mr. Nguyen Tuong Thuy was sentenced to 11 years in prison and three years on probation. According to information received by OHCHR, on 12 March 2022, Mr. Nguyen Tuong received a visit by his wife. Concerns about his physical and mental health conditions persist. 30. Yemen 157. The case of Mr. Abdulmajeed Sabrah, a lawyer representing journalists and human rights defenders in the northern areas of Yemen under the control of the Houthi forces, was included in the 2021 report of the Secretary-General 203 on allegations of intimidation, including on social media, and surveillance for sharing information with the United Nations. According to information received by OHCHR, in January 2022, Mr. Sabrah remained unable to defend his clients effectively because of the surveillance of his activities. Reportedly, petitions on behalf of his clients were regularly ignored or rejected, and he was subjected to intimidation and threats for alleged treason, receipt of funds, affiliation with international organizations, and for sharing information about his clients’ cases in meetings with United Nations officials. 158. The case of the Mwatana Organization for Human Rights, a Sana’a-based civil society organization, and members of its staff, was included in the 2019 and 2021 reports of the Secretary-General 204 on allegations of detention and prevention of travel following engagement with the United Nations Security Council and United Nations human rights mechanisms (SAU 8/2018; YEM 4/2018). On 25 January 2022, the head of Mwatana, Ms. Radhya al-Mutawakel, briefed the Security Council on the situation in Yemen in an open debate on protection of civilians in urban settings.205 Following her participation, she was subjected to a smear campaign and threats on social media, including allegations of being an agent of international organizations and siding with the de facto authorities. In addition, according to information received by OHCHR, fourteen incidents against Mwatana’s field researchers and lawyers were documented during the reporting period where all parties to the conflict used threats, intimidation, surveillance, arbitrary detention, and physical attacks against staff in different geographical areas, including in Sana’a, Taiz, Hadhramout, Marib, Hudaydah, Dhamar, Aden, Amran and Ibb. 159. The case of Mr. Akram al-Shawafi and his co-workers at Watch for Human Rights, documenting and reporting violations in the Ta’izz’s Governorate, was included in the 2020 and 2021 reports of the Secretary-General 206 in relation to threats and attacks for the organization’s engagement with the Group of Experts and the Security Council Sanctions Committee Panel of Experts on Yemen. It was reported to OHCHR that during the reporting period, Watch for Human Rights and Mr. Akram al-Shawafi continued to document serious crimes and human rights violations on the Yemeni-Saudi border, including sexual abuse and child trafficking, and to report them to the United Nations. In January 2022, following the killing of a key witness in December 2021 and contact with the United Nations Panel of Experts, Mr. Akram al-Shawafi received an anonymous call urging him to stop documenting 201 202 203 204 205 206 70 A/HRC/48/28, Annex II, paras. 124–125. https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=35828. A/HRC/48/28, Annex I, para. 133. A/HRC/42/30, para. 74, 85, Annex I, para. 94, 124 and A/HRC/48/28, Annex II, paras. 160–161. https://media.un.org/en/asset/k19/k19ame0jq8 (time stamp 20:15–27:45). A/HRC/45/36, para. 127, Annex I, paras. 157–158 and A/HRC/48/28, Annex II, paras. 155–159.