A/HRC/27/38 Zaitani remain in detention.69 A reply from the Government to a joint communication sent by special procedures was received on 31 March 2014. It indicated that Messrs. Darwish, Ghrer and Al-Zaitani had been arrested on 16 February 2012 on the basis of suspicious activities and that, on 14 November 2012, they had been referred to the competent judicial authority.70 On 14 January 2014, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention issued opinion 43/2013, in which it declared the detention of Messrs. Darwish, Al-Zaitani and Ghrer arbitrary and called for their release.71 5. United Arab Emirates 45. As a follow-up to the UAE 94 case, relating to a group of 94 civil society activists calling for change in a peaceful manner in March 2013 who were subsequently arrested and detained, Waleed al-Shehhi, a member of the legal team of UAE 94 during their trial, was arrested on 11 May 2013 in relation to remarks made on social media about irregularities in the UAE 94 trial.72 On 2 July 2013, 69 of the 94 defendants were sentenced to long prison sentences for plotting to overthrow the State and 25 were acquitted.73 A reply to the joint communication sent by special procedures was received on 20 November 2013, in which the Government indicated that the allegations were highly inaccurate and misleading.74 In opinion No. 60/2013, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found the detention of 61 individuals of UAE 94 arbitrary and called for their release.75 Reportedly, following beatings by prison guards of Mohamed al-Mansoori, one of the UAE 94, 18 of the 69 individuals went on hunger strike between August 2013 and October 2013 to protest about their conditions of detention.76 6. Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 46. Concern has been raised in my previous reports at the situation of Judge Maria Lourdes Afiuni.77 In its latest report, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention expressed concern at the continued detention under house arrest of Judge Afiuni, who was arrested in 2009 for ordering the conditional release of Eligio Cedeño, after the Working Group had declared his detention arbitrary in opinion No. 10/2009.78 The Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, in his report on observations and communications transmitted to Governments and replies received, stated that no investigation into the reports of torture of Judge Afiuni had taken place, and reiterated that the Government must ensure the investigation and prosecution of the alleged perpetrators.79 III. Conclusions and recommendations 47. I continue to receive allegations of reprisals and intimidation against individuals and groups cooperating with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights, and against their families and legal 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 16 A/HRC/25/74, case SYR 3/2013. Ibid. A/HRC/WGAD/2013/43, paras. 39–42. A/HRC/25/74, case ARE 5/2013. A/HRC/25/74, case ARE 4/2013. Ibid. A/HRC/WGAD/2013/60, paras. 26–28. A/HRC/25/74, case ARE 4/2013. A/HRC/24/29, paras. 46–48. A/HRC/27/48, para. 26. A/HRC/25/60/Add.2.