A/HRC/36/31 Government to take appropriate measures to prevent such acts, and to combat impunity by investigating promptly and effectively all allegations of intimidation and reprisals in order to bring perpetrators to justice and to provide victims with appropriate remedies. 16. Oman 46. On 27 June 2016, five special procedure mandate holders expressed their concerns about the alleged arbitrary arrest and detention of Said Ali Said Jadad, a human rights defender, journalist and blogger, for his human rights activities, and the alleged continued acts of reprisal for his cooperation with the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association during the visit made by the Special Rapporteur to Oman in September 2014, and for Mr. Jadad’s cooperation with international organizations (see A/HRC/34/75, para. 10, OMN 1/2016). In a letter dated 2 September 2016, the Government of Oman responded to the concerns raised, and informed the mandate holders that, as a result of their appeal, Mr. Jadad’s case had been re-examined, and that he had been released from detention on 26 August 2016. 17. Pakistan 47. On 18 April 2017, the National Commission for Human Rights of Pakistan was due to brief the Committee against Torture during its sixtieth session, following the submission of an alternative report to the Committee. The request made by the Commission Chair for permission to travel to Geneva was denied on the basis that the national human rights institution was “not mandated to interact with the UN Committee on the present issue”. Representatives of the Commission were eventually able to participate in a private meeting with the Committee via video link on 18 April 2017. In its concluding observations, the Committee referred to its serious concern that the Chair of the Commission had not receive the authorization, which was reportedly required in Pakistan for the National Commission for Human Rights to be able to travel to participate in a private meeting with the Committee (CAT/C/PAK/CO/1, para. 20). 18. Rwanda 48. Special procedure mandate holders took action in response to allegations of intimidation and reprisals against two human rights defenders, Epimack Kwokwo and Robert Mugabe, for their cooperation with the universal periodic review, the Human Rights Council and special procedures. The allegations also drew attention to the declaration that Mr. Kwokwo was persona non grata in Rwanda and to his subsequent expulsion from the country, and the attempted kidnapping and intense daily interrogation of Mr. Mugabe (see A/HRC/34/75, para. 10, RWA 1/2016 and A/HRC/35/44, para. 12, RWA 1/2017). The mandate holders have been in contact with the Government of Rwanda on these cases. 19. Saudi Arabia 49. Special procedure mandate holders took action on the case of Issa Al-Hamid, a human rights defender and member of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association, who was sentenced to 11 years in prison followed by an 11-year travel ban and a fine of 100,000 Riyals. He was originally sentenced to nine years by the Specialized Criminal Court for, inter alia, having “communicated with international organizations in order to harm the image of the State”, a charge that, according to special procedures, appears to also constitute an act of reprisal for cooperating with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights. His sentence was increased by two years on 1 December 2016 by the Court of Appeal. Mandate holders have been in contact with the Government of Saudi Arabia on this case (see A/HRC/35/44, para. 12, SAU 8/2016). 20. South Sudan 50. In the special report on the review of the mandate of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) (S/2016/951), the Secretary-General pointed out that United Nations human rights officers faced limited access to affected areas to corroborate information or interview witnesses and victims for many reasons, including restrictions imposed by government authorities, security considerations for staff members and increasing threats of 11