6.In the report on cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights of 16 August 2016, concerns were raised about Ms. El Ghalia Djimi, who was subjected to reprisals for seeking to engage with the Human Rights Council (see A/HRC/33/19, para 26). The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, in his report on observations on communications, reiterated concerns that Ms. El Ghalia Djimi did not receive authorization to leave the country to travel to the thirty-first session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva (A/HRC/34/52/Add.1, para.722). The mandate holder further expressed concern that the case of Ms. El Ghalia Djimi is not isolated, but is rather representative of a larger trend of reprisals, harassmentand intimidation of human rights defenders. Information has since been received that Ms. El Ghalia Djimi was able to attend the thirty-second session of the Human Rights Council.

40.In the 2016 report of the Secretary-General (see A/HRC/33/19, para. 26), it was reported that on 22March 2016 three special procedures mandate holders raised concerns with the Moroccan authorities over allegations of reprisals against Ms. El Ghalia Djimi, an employee of the Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Fishing of Morocco and member of the l’association Sahraouie des victimes des graves violations des droits de l’homme commises par l’état du Maroc, l’ASVDH (A/HRC/33/32, MAR 1/2016).In the 2017 report of the Secretary-General (see A/HRC/36/31, Annex para. 6) it was reported that Mr. Michel Forst,the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, in his report on observations on communications, reiterated concerns that Ms. Djimi did not receive authorization to leave the country to travel to the thirty-first session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva (see A/HRC/34/52/Add.1, para 722). The mandate holder further expressed concern that the case of Ms. El Ghalia Djimi is not isolated, but is rather representative of a larger trend of reprisals, harassment and intimidation of human rights defenders. Information was subsequently received that Ms. El Ghalia Djimi was able to attend the thirty-second session of the Human Rights Council. 41.It was further reported that after the participation of Ms. Djimi in a session of the Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances on 30 April 2018 in Geneva, she was subject to reprisals in the form of online defamation on a Moroccan website “Sahrawikileaks.com.”It was also reported that Ms. Mina Baali, also a member of the association, participated in the Human Rights Council at the June 2017 session, and believes because of this,she has become subject to reprisals at her place of employment.