A/HRC/51/47 the third universal periodic review cycle, none received an explicit recommendation on acts of intimidation or reprisal against individuals and groups mentioned in the present report. 6. The special procedure mandate holders of the Human Rights Council continued to dedicate communications, public statements, reports and dialogues to intimidation and reprisals related to cooperation with them and entities of the wider United Nations system.5 The present report includes new allegations from eight communications concerning six States (see annex I)6 and follow-up information on cases and legislation concerning 15 States (see annex II).7 The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention noted that it continues to receive information on reprisals against individuals who availed themselves of its procedures and who have been the subject of urgent appeals or opinions or whose cases have given effect to a recommendation of the Working Group.8 7. The Committee on Enforced Disappearances received seven allegations of reprisals for cooperation with the Committee through its urgent action procedure in the context of the Committee’s official visit to Mexico (see annex I).9 Regarding individual communications, allegations of reprisals were addressed to and responses were made by two treaty bodies, namely the Committee against Torture10 and the Human Rights Committee.11 8. In its annual report to the General Assembly, the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture noted that restrictive and retaliatory measures faced by civil society, including reprisals owing to collaboration with the United Nations, may limit or even prevent organizations from obtaining access to the Fund’s grants and from implementing their projects to assist torture victims.12 9. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) continued awareness-raising efforts with Member States and capacity-building initiatives with United Nations staff and personnel to assess risks and to support and protect those who interact with the Security Council and its peace operations.13 During the reporting period, OHCHR conducted 11 online workshops, which benefited from the active participation of over 200 staff in United Nations peace operations in Africa, Asia and Latin America. 10. On 18 January 2022, the Security Council held an open debate on “Protecting participation: addressing violence targeting women in peace and security processes”,14 during which the High Commissioner for Human Rights underlined the need to do more and better in providing safe spaces for women human rights defenders to interact with the Security Council and its subsidiary bodies, without fear of retribution.15 OHCHR co-organized and co-facilitated a three-day consultation with women human rights defenders and peacebuilders as part of the preparations for the open debate. 11. In its resolution 76/170 on national human rights institutions, the General Assembly recognized the important role that such institutions can play in preventing and addressing cases of reprisal or intimidation as part of supporting the cooperation between States and the United Nations in the promotion of human rights, including by contributing to follow-up actions, as appropriate, to recommendations made by international human rights mechanisms. 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 A/HRC/49/82, paras. 68–69. Bangladesh, Brazil, Mexico, Rwanda, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) and Viet Nam. Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Cameroon, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Israel, Nicaragua, the Philippines, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka. A/HRC/48/55, paras. 31–32. HRI/MC/2022/4, para. 21. Cyprus, Kazakhstan and Morocco, see annex I; and HRI/MC/2022/4, para. 19; see also https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/TreatyBodyExternal/TBSearch.aspx?Lang=en&TreatyID=1& DocTypeID=130. HRI/MC/2022/4, para. 28. A/76/301, para. 10. The term peace operations in this context is used to refer to both peacekeeping operations and special political missions. See https://media.un.org/en/asset/k1s/k1sm0x9zxm. See https://www.ohchr.org/en/2022/01/security-council-open-debate-women-peace-and-securityprotecting-participation-addressing. 3