A/HRC/14/19 nomenclature of “human rights defenders” was used very loosely to encompass just about every form of activity however distantly associated with the sphere of human rights promotion and protection. The delegation explained that the Government of Sri Lanka had to discourage persons representing themselves as such and making assertions for collateral purposes of political gain and causing embarrassment to the Government in pursuit of extraneous agendas in the name of human rights. 12. Uzbekistan 44. On 23 February 2009, the Chair-Rapporteur of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the Special Rapporteur on the right to health, and the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture sent a joint urgent appeal to Uzbekistan regarding Erkin Musaev, whose detention had been declared arbitrary in Working Group Opinion No. 14/2008 (A/HRC/10/21/Add.1, p. 138). It was alleged that two officers from the National Security Service threatened that if he or his family did not withdraw their petitions or if they continued to make complaints to international human rights mechanisms or to spread news about the above-mentioned decision, they would face reprisals. Following this incident, Mr. Musaev was put under “special control”, that is, denied medical treatment and his movement within the territory of the penitentiary institution was restricted. 13. Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 45. On 16 December 2009, the Chair-Rapporteur of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers sent a joint urgent appeal to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela regarding Judge María Lourdes Afiuni. They also published a press statement on this case on 16 December 2009. According to information received, Judge Afiuni was promptly arrested by intelligence police officers after having ordered the conditional release pending trial of Eligio Cedeño on 10 December 2009. Mr. Cedeño’s detention was declared arbitrary by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention on 1 September 2009 in its Opinion No. 10/2009 (A/HRC/13/30/Add.1, p. 325), citing violations of the right to fair trial. His counsel team introduced the United Nations experts’ opinion at the hearing before Judge Afiuni on 10 December 2009, following which he was conditionally released after almost three years in detention without trial. 46. It is further alleged that in an appearance before Government officials, which was broadcast on national television and radio, the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela further demanded that Judge Afiuni be sentenced to a 30-year prison term, even if new legislation was required to achieve that result. President Chávez publicly instructed the Attorney-General and the President of the Supreme Court to punish Judge Afiuni as severely as possible, to prevent similar actions by other judges. He also suggested that Mr. Cedeño’s defence attorneys had engaged in criminal conduct in requesting his release. Attorney-General Luisa Ortega Díaz is reported to have given interviews to the press slandering the judge. 47. Judge Afiuni is said to have been charged with corruption, accessory to an escape, criminal conspiracy and abuse of power. She has been denied a public defender. It is also feared that Mr. Cedeño’s Venezuelan defence lawyers are under imminent threat of arrest. 14. Yemen 48. On 2 December 2009, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders sent an urgent appeal to Yemen concerning the situation of Amal 12 GE.10-13228