A/HRC/30/29 10. Kazakhstan 28. In relation to his visit to Kazakhstan, the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association reported that, on 23 January 2015, unidentified men took photographs of individuals leaving the building, in a manner commonly associated with secret police surveillance, where he had just held a meeting (A/HRC/29/25/Add.2, paras. 13-17).5 The Special Rapporteur submitted a formal complaint to the authorities and received reassurances that a full investigation would be conducted. The next day, the authorities informed the Special Rapporteur that they had apprehended an individual who confessed to have taken the photographs; the Special Rapporteur did not, however, identify the man as one of those he had seen. He subsequently affirmed that the incident had been calculated to instil fear and intimidation, and reiterated that the authorities had to guarantee that no one with whom he met would be subjected to reprisals. The Government responded that the allegations were groundless and based on a misunderstanding (A/HRC/29/25/Add.5, para. 6). In his oral statement to the Human Rights Council at its twenty-ninth session, the Special Rapporteur reiterated his dissatisfaction with the incident, stated that the Government’s explanation was unconvincing, and urged it to ensure that there would be no reprisals in relation to his visit. Kazakhstan, in its oral reply to the Special Rapporteur’s statement, did not address the allegations of reprisals. 11. Kuwait 29. On 27 April 2015, a number of special procedure mandate holders referred to serious concerns over acts of intimidation and reprisal against Nawaf al-Hendal, founder of the Kuwait Watch Organization for Human Rights (A/HRC/30/27, case KWT 2/2015). On 22 January 2015, while in Geneva to attend the review of Kuwait during the universal periodic review, scheduled for 28 January, Mr. Al-Hendal learned that an arrest warrant had been issued against him by the State security apparatus of the Ministry of the Interior in relation to messages he had posted on his Twitter page. On 1 February, upon arrival at Kuwait International Airport, Mr. Al-Hendal was stopped and interrogated by officials on his participation in the review of Kuwait. On 23 March, three days after returning from Geneva where he delivered a statement to the Human Rights Council, Mr. Al-Hendal monitored – without participating in – a protest outside the National Assembly in Kuwait City in his capacity of Director of his organization. As police officers physically dispersed the crowd, they reportedly identified Mr. Al-Hendal and assaulted, arrested and detained him at the Criminal Investigations Department in Al-Salmiya. On 25 March, Mr. Al-Hendal was released from detention but prohibited from travelling pending his trial on charges of “participating in an illegal demonstration”. The Government, in three separate replies, stated that no reprisals had been committed against Mr. Al-Hendal, and the travel ban imposed on Mr. Al-Hendal had been lifted (ibid.).6 12. Maldives 30. In a communication addressed on 3 October 2014 to the Government, a number of special procedure mandate holders referred to allegations of reprisals against the Human Rights Commission of Maldives. After having submitted a report to OHCHR on 14 September 2014 in view of the review of Maldives at the twenty-second session of the universal periodic review, and publishing it on its website, the Supreme Court of Maldives summoned the five members of the Commission to appear before the Court and, on 22 5 6 10 See OHCHR, “Statement by the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association at the conclusion of his visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan”, 27 January 2015 and “Human Rights Council discusses freedom of opinion and expression and freedoms of peaceful assembly and of association”, 17 June 2015. Ibid.