A/HRC/39/41
allegedly committed by State agents against members of the political party and movement
Muttahida Quami Movement, including persons belonging to the Mohajirs community
(PAK 5/2017).
45.
According to the information received, Mr. Ghaffar’s home has been monitored and
he has received direct death threats from the twitter account @PakRangersFreePress. This
account reportedly belongs to Pakistani Paramilitary Rangers, who have been accused of of
serious human rights violations against MQM workers and ethnic Mohajirs.
46.
The first threat received was on 1 July 2017, from a tweet referring to Mr. Ghaffar
as a “traitor of Pakistan.” It stated that if someone needs his residential address and details
about his family they should contact the sender. On 14 July 2017, Mr. Ghaffar received
another message from the social media account @PakRangersFreePress, which asked
“what punishment is fit for the traitor.” The special procedures expressed serious concern
that these reported threats and acts of intimidation appear to be reprisals against Mr.
Ghaffar at least in part due to his engagement with the United Nations human rights
mechanisms. At the time of writing there had been no response to the urgent appeal.
14.
Rwanda
47.
In the 2017 report of the Secretary-General it was noted that two special procedures
mandate holders sent an urgent appeal to the Government (RWA 1/2017) on 18 January
2017, in response to allegations of kidnapping and intense daily interrogation against
journalist and human rights defender Mr. Robert Mugabe (see A/HRC/36/31, para. 48 and
Annex, paras. 62 and 65) for his cooperation with the universal periodic review and the
Human Rights Council (A/HRC/35/44).
48.
On 30 May 2018, Mr. David Kaye, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and
protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, wrote to the Government in
response to allegations that while Mr. Mugabe was travelling to Geneva to attend the 2017
United Nations Internet Governance Forum on 15 December 2017, he was stopped by the
authorities at the airport in Kigali and barred from leaving the country (RWA 1/2018). He
was reportedly detained and questioned for several hours on accusations of “working
against the state, treason, and spreading rumours to undermine the state…” based upon his
critical reporting published online. The police searched his bags and phone and questioned
him about his activities related to the Human Rights Council. He was released after four
hours of questioning to return home. On 16 December 2017 he was reportedly summoned
again to the police, and criminal investigations from January 2017 were reopened against
him, which could lead to formal charges. If convicted for treason, Mr. Mugabe could face
25 years in prison. At the time of writing the Government had not responded to the
communications by the special procedures of 18 January 2017 and 30 May 2018.
15.
Saudi Arabia
49.
It was reported that on 16 September 2017, Mr. Issa Al-Hamid, of the Saudi Civil
and Political Rights Association (ACPRA) was arrested, following previous sentences
imposed by the Saudi authorities during a crackdown on human rights defenders. The 2017
report of the Secretary-General (see A/HRC/36/31, para. 49 and Annex, paras. 66-67) noted
that three special procedures mandate holders took action on the case of Mr. Al-Hamid,
who was sentenced to 11 years in prison followed by an 11-year travel ban and a fine of
100,000 Riyals (SAU 8/2016). He was originally sentenced to nine years by the Specialized
Criminal Court for having, inter alia “communicated with international organizations in
order to harm the image of the State,” a charge that according to special procedures appear
to also constitute acts of reprisal for cooperation with the United Nations. His sentence was
increased by two years on 1 December 2016 by the Court of Appeal.
50.
On 13 December 2016, three special procedures mandate holders raised concerns
over allegations of reprisals against Mr. Al-Hamid for cooperating with the United Nations
(A/HRC/35/44, SAU 8/2016). In its reply dated 13 February 2017, the Government did not
address the case of Mr. Al-Hamid, as a response concerning his case had been provided
already in relation to a previous communication (SAU 4/2016) in which the Government
informed that he was sentenced by a lower court to nine years of imprisonment and a ban to
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