A/HRC/48/28 individuals and groups who seek to cooperate or have cooperated with the United Nations.” The Council called upon the “Government to prevent, refrain from and publicly condemn, investigate and punish any acts of intimidation or reprisal for cooperation with the United Nations (A/HRC/RES/46/2, para. 14).” 21. Pakistan 83. On 21 December 2020, special procedures mandate holders addressed continued intimidation, threats of reprisal and harassment, including for cooperation with the UN, faced by human rights defender Mr. Fazal ur Rehman Afridi, president of the Institut de recherche et d’études stratégiques de Khyber (IRESK) and member of the Pashtun Protection Movement, who has been in exile since 2009 (PAK 12/2020). Mr. Afridi has raised alleged patterns of enforced disappearances related to military activities by the Pakistani Government in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, including of members of the Pashtun and other minorities. He made statements at the Human Rights Council in 2019 and 2020 53 and submitted information to special procedures, including to the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances. It is reported that threats, harassment and intimidation against Mr. Afridi intensified as a result of his reporting of cases of missing and forcibly disappeared persons to the UN, and that Mr. Afridi’s relatives and associates have been targeted for his international advocacy, including at the UN (PAK 12/2020). 84. According to information received, on 3 September 2020, the Pakistani intelligence services subpoenaed an individual associated with Mr. Afridi to the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) office in District Kohat and pressured the individual, under threats of torture, abduction and death, to provide a statement in a local court confirming that he would cut off all contact with Mr. Afridi. In September 2020, ISI agents reportedly ordered a person associated with Mr. Afridi and his brothers to organize a press conference at the local press club in Kohat, Pakistan, and coerced them to read a previously prepared written statement stating that Mr. Afridi actively participates in protests and political activities to harm Pakistan and that he had been in direct contact with foreign intelligence services. The statement noted that his relatives would agree to the harshest punishment against Mr. Afridi if he did not stop his “anti-Pakistan activities” (PAK 12/2020). These actions are reportedly part of a social media campaign against Mr. Afridi for his human rights advocacy. 85. On 31 March 2021, special procedures mandate holders raised concern about the alleged arbitrary arrest, torture and ill-treatment, as well as prosecution, of several human rights defenders and persons associated with them, including Mr. Alam Zaib Mehsud (PAK 4/2021). Mr. Zaib Mehsud is a human rights defender and focal person of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) on enforced disappearances, extra-judicial killings, torture and landmines victims in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which he has raised publicly and reported to different international bodies, including UN human rights mechanisms. 86. On 21 January 2019, Mr. Alam Zaib was reportedly arrested in Karachi by police and military secret service members and taken to Malir Can Police station, where he was allegedly beaten and tortured over a period of five days. A First Information Report was registered against him, reportedly for refusing to renounce his human rights activities and, on 26 January 2019, he was charged with raising anti-State slogans and using foul language against national institutions. Mr. Alam Zaib was reportedly transferred to a prison and put in a small dark cell used for individuals accused of terrorism-related activities and other highprofile criminals. On 16 September 2019, after nine months in prison, Mr. Alam Zaib was released on bail by the Supreme Court and, since then, more than 35 criminal cases have been registered against him. He reportedly must present himself monthly to the courts and has been placed on the Exit Control List, which effectively bars his travel from Pakistan. Special procedures mandate holders noted the disruption these proceedings have had on Mr. Alam 53 Item 4, General Debate, contd 19th-meeting, 42nd Regular Session Human Rights Council, 18 September 2019, at https://media.un.org/en/asset/k1m/k1mp61syvv (time stamp 00:01:36:16); Item 4, General Debate, contd 28th meeting, 43rd Regular Session Human Rights Council, at https://media.un.org/en/asset/k16/k16oosbim2 (time stamp 00:05:45). 37