A/HRC/39/41 51. On 20 June 2017, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders expressed concern about reports of reprisals against a member of the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society, Mr. Kartik Murukutla, for cooperating with United Nations human rights mechanisms (IND 4/2017). 52. On 7 June 2018, the Assistant Secretary-General addressed the allegations in writing. On 2 July 2018, the Government responded. Israel 53. In May 2018, the Minister of the Interior in Israel did not renew the work permit of the Director of Human Rights Watch, Omar Shakir, and ordered his deportation. 20 Mr. Shakir remains in the country, as the order is under review by a district court. The order was based, inter alia, on allegations that Mr. Shakir would support a boycott of Israel. Among the allegations are statements by Mr. Shakir supporting a database produced by the United Nations of businesses that operate in Israeli settlements, pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 31/36. Kyrgyzstan 54. On 25 June 2018, the Committee on Migrant Workers addressed the Government regarding the designation as extremist material of a submission by civil society organizations Anti-Discrimination Centre Memorial and Bir Duino Kyrgyzstan of an alternative report to the Committee ahead of its review of Kyrgyzstan in April 2015.21 In May 2018, during a visit to Kyrgyzstan the Assistant-Secretary General raised the allegations with the Government. Maldives 55. On 20 April 2018, special procedures mandate holders raised concerns about the launching of investigations against Shahindha Ismail of the Maldivian Democracy Network, for the use of Twitter and for having participated in a side event at the June 2017 session of the Human Rights Council (MDV 3/2018). Ms. Ismail continues to receive online threats and online gender-based violence, including rape threats. On 23 July 2018 the Government responded to the allegations. Mali 56. According to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), there have been cases of reprisals perpetrated by State actors and non-State armed groups against individuals who collaborate with the Mission, including the Human Rights and Protection Division.22 Intimidation and death threats are strategies that have been used by terrorist and extremist armed groups to threaten populations for any collaboration with national and international forces, including MINUSMA. Morocco 57. In a decision of 15 November 2016, the Committee against Torture found that Morocco was responsible for violations of the Convention in the case of Naâma Asfari v. Morocco, in which Mr. Asfari, a Sahrawi human rights defender currently in detention, was the petitioner (CAT/C/59/D/606/2014). Since the decision by the Committee, Mr. Asfari’s treatment in detention has reportedly deteriorated. His wife has been denied entry into Morocco on four occasions. On 13 February 2018, Mr. Asfari was placed in solitary 20 21 22 OHCHR, “UN experts urge Israel not to deport Human Rights Watch official Omar Shakir” (18 May 2018). See submissions of civil society organizations to the twenty-second session of the Committee on Migrant Workers. MINUSMA and OHCHR “Droits de l’homme et processus de paix au Mali (janvier 2016–juin 2017)” (February 2018), available from https://minusma.unmissions.org/malgr%C3%A9-la-mise-en%C5%93uvre-de-l%E2%80%99accord-pour-la-paix-la-situation-des-droits-del%E2%80%99homme-demeure. 11

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