A/HRC/36/31 3. Burundi 24. The Committee against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment took action on allegations of reprisals against representatives of Burundian nongovernmental organizations that sent reports and participated in the Committee’s session, at which the situation in Burundi was reviewed. Four representatives were lawyers, three of whom have been subsequently disbarred and one suspended for one year at the request of the Attorney General of Bujumbura. The Committee expressed its concern that the request of the Attorney General related to the cooperation of these members of civil society with it. The Committee has been in contact with the Government on this matter (see CAT/C/BDI/CO/2/Add.1). 25. The experts conducting the independent investigation on Burundi carried out pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution S-24/1, in their report (A/HRC/33/37), also raised concerns regarding the threat of reprisals for those individuals who cooperated or who wished to cooperate with the investigation, noting that the investigation faced several challenges, including the fact that two of its four planned visits could not be carried out. They further noted that some victims and witnesses feared reprisals. In their recommendations, the experts stressed that the Government should immediately cease its reprisals and threats against individuals who cooperated with the experts and other human rights mechanisms and organizations. 26. On 14 June 2017, the chair of the Commission of Inquiry on Burundi briefed the Human Rights Council, and stated that the Commission had received information from a large number of exiled Burundians who were afraid to provide testimonies for fear of reprisal. In the briefing, she pointed out that, similarly, human rights defenders who still operated in the country found it hard to gather testimonies from victims inside the country for fear of exposing themselves and the victims to the risk of reprisal. 27. In March 2017, the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights informed the Peacebuilding Commission and members of the Security Council about allegations of reprisals against persons who had cooperated or sought to cooperate with the United Nations, including with OHCHR in Bujumbura. 4. China 28. In the course of 2016, several allegations of reprisals against individuals in relation to meetings with the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, during his visit to China in August 2016, were received by special procedure mandate holders, who took action and have been in contact with the Government (see A/HRC/34/75, para. 10, CHN 9/2016 and CHN 13/2016). 29. On 26 April 2017, a Uyghur human rights activist and member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization, Dolkun Isa, who was attending the annual Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples at United Nations Headquarters, was escorted from the premises pending further examination following the receipt of information from representatives of China alleging “security reasons”. As a result, Mr. Isa was unable to resume his participation in the Forum. 5. Cuba 30. On 18 October 2016, some mandate holders raised with the Government of Cuba allegations of harassment and reprisal against human rights defenders and members of the Cubalex Legal Information Center for their cooperation with the United Nations in the field of human rights (see A/HRC/34/75, para. 10, CUB 3/2016). The allegations were mainly in relation to the cooperation of advocates with the Human Rights Council, its special procedures and the universal periodic review mechanism, who were stopped and questioned at the airport and harassed by immigration agents. Furthermore, on 23 September 2016, the offices of Cubalex were raided. 7