On 21 February 2022, special procedures mandate holders addressed allegations of intimidation and harassment of relatives of disappeared persons, human rights defenders and civil society organizations related to their work and co-operation with international bodies and United Nations mechanisms (BGD 2/2022). They drew the Government’s attention to the fact that their communication did not contain personal details of several alleged victims for fear of further reprisals. On 30 December 2021, the Government announced that it was investigating 76 pending cases with the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID). However, between December 2021 and February 2022, authorities reportedly raided the homes of some victims’ relatives and intimidated them. Representatives of some NGOs working in the search of victims and of enforced disappearances and advocating for accountability were also allegedly affected, Odhikar was one of them (see Annex II). Mandate holders expressed concern that the reported intimidation may have been directed against relatives and human rights defenders for their co-operation with United Nations entities, including the WGEID (BGD 2/2022). 5. On 14 March 2022, special procedures mandate holders publicly called on authorities to immediately cease reprisals against human rights defenders and relatives of forcibly disappeared persons for their activism and co-operation with international human rights bodies and United Nations mechanisms. They expressed concern that the reported reprisals may have a chilling effect and deter others from reporting on issues of public interest, including human rights, and from cooperating with the United Nations, its representatives, and mechanisms.