A/HRC/48/28 member of the Special Security Forces, threatened her with death and accused her of insulting the police. 158. In February 2021, the lawyer again communicated with OHCHR to report the illtreatment and torture of detainees at the Central Prison Correctional Center in Ta’izz, following which the Prison Director reportedly immediately filed a complaint with the Ta’izz Bar Association. The Ta’izz Police issued a press release accusing her of spreading false information. She made a public appeal calling on the Taizz Appeals Prosecution, as well as the Head of the Finance Prosecution and the Military Police Commander for her protection. This reportedly set off a campaign on social media and further death threats instructing her to halt her publicity of the alleged rape case. 159. The second, a male human rights researcher for Watch for Human Rights based in Sana’a reportedly faced harassment, intimidation, threats and reprisals during the reporting period for documenting and informing the GEE and Security Council Sanctions Committee Panel of Experts of violations against civilians and the conditions of women detainees in Sana’a. He was reportedly accused of working for Western interests and for international organizations. On 19 December 2020, military personnel affiliated with the Houthis reportedly appeared at the researcher’s university and visited his family in their home, declaring that he would be arrested if he did not submit himself to the police. He has since relocated to a governorate outside Houthi territory. 160. The case of the Mwatana Organization for Human Rights and members of its staff was included in the 2019 report of the Secretary-General276 on allegations of detention and prevention of travel following engagement with the Security Council and UN human rights mechanisms (SAU 8/2018 277; YEM 4/2018). The 2020 report of the Secretary-General278 mentioned eight incidents of detention, intimidation and threats against Mwatana staff in relation to the organization’s cooperation with the UN, including its participation in the Human Rights Council, reportedly committed by the Houthis Security Belt forces, and Government forces. 161. It was subsequently reported to OHCHR that high-ranking public officials within the Government were reportedly behind a campaign in January 2020 to deter ECOSOC from granting the organization consultative status. This included a tweet on 25 January 2020 from the Minister of Information indicating satisfaction with the NGO Committee’s decision to defer consideration of Mwatana’s consultative status (see E/2020/32 (Part I), para. 14), questioning the impartiality of Mwatana and accusing it of being preoccupied with serving the Houthis. During the reporting period, Mwatana continued to cooperate with OHCHR, the Human Rights Council and the Security Council Sanctions Committee Panel of Experts, and its staff reportedly continued to receive verbal threats. Names and further details are withheld due to fear of further reprisals. During its June 2021 regular session, the NGO Committee decided to defer Mwatana’s application, pending receipt of responses to questions posed to them (E/2020/32(Part I), para. 5). 29. State of Palestine 162. The 2020 report of the Secretary-General279 noted that, in November and December 2019, several Palestinian and international women’s organizations and activists were reportedly subject to smearing, intimidation and threats for their support for the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and their actual or perceived engagement with the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, which reviewed the State of Palestine in July 2018. 163. It was reported to OHCHR that in June 2020, several Palestinian and international women’s organizations and activists in the occupied Palestinian Territory, including some that had engaged with the Committee in the context of the review, were subject to 276 277 278 279 A/HRC/42/30, para. 74, 85, Annex I, para. 94, 124. https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=34154. A/HRC/45/36, Annex II, para. 149. A/HRC/45/36, para. 128, Annex I, paras. 159–161. 83