A/HRC/30/29 Sughd regional court reportedly rejected his appeal. The Government, in its response of 27 August 2014, indicated that criminal proceedings had been launched into this case and that by Mr. Toshev’s own testimony it had become clear that there had been no acts of reprisal on the part of prison system employees (ibid.). The Special Rapporteur, in his report, stated that the response from the Government did not sufficiently address the concerns raised and should have made a serious attempt to ensure accountability for the seemingly grave violations committed against Mr. Toshev (A/HRC/28/68/Add.1, paras. 529-532). 19. Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 40. Allegations of acts of intimidation and reprisal against Alfredo Romero, Executive Director of Foro Penal Venezolano, a non-governmental organization representing victims of arbitrary detention and torture, his family and members of the organization were addressed to the Government on 19 February 2015 by a number of mandate holders (A/HRC/29/50, case VEN 2/2015). Mr. Romero travelled to Geneva in November 2014 to meet with representatives of the United Nations human rights system. After his return, he, his family and the organization Foro Penal Venezolano were mentioned repeatedly on a Venezuelan television programme, “Con el Mazo Dando”, during which they were reportedly referred to as conspirators against the system in the light of their cooperation with international human rights instruments and suspected of receiving funding from foreign countries. In addition, Foro Penal Venezolano reportedly received anonymous threats via Twitter. At the time of finalization of the present report, no response had been received from the Government. 20. Viet Nam 41. On 25 November 2014, mandate holders raised allegations of acts of intimidation and reprisal in relation to the country visit of the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief to Viet Nam in July 2014 (A/HRC/28/85, case VNM 11/2014). On 27 and 28 July 2014, a large number of independent Hoa Hao Buddhists were reportedly threatened and prevented from meeting with the Special Rapporteur during his visit to An Giang Province by police officers who had set up checkpoints in the area; the ashram and home of Bui Van Trunga were surrounded by police officers accompanied by a large number of individuals; Nguyen Hoang Nam was attacked by policemen and transported him to an unknown location where they left him with a head injury; and Bui Thi Diem Thuy noticed that she was being followed by four plain-clothed agents and thus decide not to meet the Special Rapporteur. Several Duong Van Minh believers also reported being harassed, questioned and some of them assaulted after having met with the Special Rapporteur. On 7 August 2014, Ma Van Pa was reportedly knocked unconscious after being hit by a motorcycle and his family warned by an unknown individual not to pursue the case; on 9 and 10 August, Ly Van Dung was reportedly followed by police officers when visiting his father-in-law in another village; and on 28 August 2014, Dao Dinh Hoang was reportedly visited by two police officers and questioned about his meeting with the Special Rapporteur (ibid.). 42. Bui Thi Kim Phuong and Nguyen Bac Truyen, who met with the Special Rapporteur in Ho Chi Minh City on 25 July 2014, were reportedly followed and threatened by the police while travelling to meet the Special Rapporteur at their house in Dong Thap Province, to which they had not been able to return since February 2014 when they were expelled. The area near their house was however surrounded by police officers and they were unable to meet the Special Rapporteur. On 28 August, Mr. Truyen was reportedly hit by a motorcycle in front of his temporary place of residence in Ho Chi Minh City and seriously injured. While the perpetrator was identified as one of the security agents who had been monitoring Mr. Nguyen and his wife, allegedly no investigation was conducted. Subsequently, on 5 November, three individuals reportedly set up a table at the doorstep of the residence of Mr. Nguyen and his family, blocking its entrance. Only when an official 14