A/HRC/54/61 122. On 7 March 2023, while the High Commissioner for Human Rights welcomed 146 the acquittals of human rights defenders, he noted that there must be an end to other politically motivated charges, and a safer environment for civil society. Karapatan and its staff have reportedly continued to be the subject of red-tagging, threats, and stigmatisation on social media in connection to their engagement with the United Nations during the period, including for their participation in the fourth cycle of Universal Periodic Review of the Philippines. 23. Russian Federation 123. Several incidents from previous reporting periods concerning Ms. Yana Tannagasheva and Mr. Vladislav Tannagashev, representatives of the Shor indigenous peoples from Southwest Siberia, were included in the 2018 and 2019 reports of the SecretaryGeneral147 on allegations of harassment, surveillance, threats, and intimidation against them and their relatives for cooperation with the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in 2017. In April 2018, as a consequence of the threats, they left the Russian Federation and relocated to a third country. In May 2018, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination raised their situation with the State party148 and in June 2018 special procedures mandate holders raised concerns with the authorities. 149 On 12 September 2018, the Government responded to mandate holders that further investigations were ongoing since July 2018, when a prior decision refusing a preliminary investigation of the case had been overturned.150 124. On 12 and 13 April 2023, during the consideration of the periodic review of the Russian Federation, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination sought clarifications about the status of the investigations into the allegations of previous incidents of reprisals against Ms. Yana Tannagasheva and Mr. Vladislav Tannagashev for cooperation with the Committee in 2017 (CERD/C/SR.2959 para. 28). In its concluding observations of 25 April 2023, the Committee addressed concerns about the lack of information on investigations into the allegations of reprisals against them. In its concluding observations of 1 December 2022, the Human Rights Committee reiterated its previous concerns about allegations of harassment of indigenous human rights defenders, 151 raised further allegations received, and urged the State to protect indigenous human rights defenders from all harassment, including in respect to their participation in relevant international forums on indigenous peoples’ rights. (CCPR/C/RUS/CO/8, paras. 40–41 (c)).152 125. The alleged impact of the arbitrary application of restrictive legislation, 153 in particular laws on “foreign agents” or “undesirable organizations”, on the willingness and ability of civil society actors to engage with international bodies, including with the United 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 68 https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2023/03/global-update-high-commissioneroutlines-concerns-over-40-countries. A/HRC/39/41, Annex I, paras. 90–91; A/HRC/42/30, Annex II, para. 87. See also RUS 11/2018, OTH 34/2018 and government reply at: https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=34329. See the letter sent by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 10 May 2018. RUS 11/2018, OTH 34/2018; A/HRC/40/60/Add.1 paras. 512 and 677. See also government reply to RUS/11/2018, at: https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=34329. See government reply at: https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=34329. CCPR/C/RUS/Q/8, para. 24. See also CCPR/C/SR.3934, para. 55. These included the N 121-FZ Foreign Agent Law for Non-Commercial Organizations, adopted in July 2012 and amended in June 2016 (N 147-FZ and N 179-FZ) and several pieces of federal legislation signed into effect on 30 December 2020 as well as Federal Law No. 538-FC, which introduced a five-year prison sentence for libel, and Federal Law No. 525-FZ which introduced criminal liability for malicious violation of the duties of a “foreign agent” with a penalty of up to five years in prison. On 5 April 2021, Bills No.1052327-7 and 105895-7 were adopted and published introducing amendments and penalties for non-compliance with the norms mentioned above. GE.23-15378