A/HRC/39/41 the events that took place. At the time of writing the Government had not responded t o t h e special procedures’ urgent appeal. 5. Cuba 19. On 11 May 2018, the spokesperson for the High Commissioner for Hu man Rig h t s stated that OHCHR had received worrying reports that officials in Cuba have p rev ent ed a number of human rights defenders and civil society representatives from boarding flights to travel to meetings abroad on the pretext of requiring more detailed identity checks. Th ose measures have resulted in passengers missing their flights, an d t herefore t h e meet in gs, which in many cases, were organized by a United Nations entity. At the time of writing OHCHR had received direct information relating to 14 cases of Cuban human rights defenders who were told by officials that the computer system required extra screening. 20. There have also been reports that dozens of other people may have been st opped in this way from travelling, allegedly with no explanation by the Cuban authorities as t o wh y they were held up nor on whose orders. Civil society organizations reported that the numbers of such instances have increased since 2016 and some human rights organizations were even informed that they would be banned from travelling outside Cuba until June 2018. 21. The spokesperson called on the Cuban authorities to respect ev ery one’s rig h t t o freedom of expression and to freedom of movement, and to ensure that human rights defenders and civil society representatives are not unjustifiably prevented from trav ellin g , including those planning to attend United Nations meetings, in particular its universal periodic review on 16 May 2018 in Geneva. 22. On 9 February 2018, two special procedures mandate holders expressed their concern to the Government about allegations of interrogation, threats and unofficial t rav el bans in individual cases, including Mr. José Ernesto Morales Estrada of Consejería Jurídica e Instrucción Cívica (CUB 1/2018). Mr. Morales Estrada has collaborated with the Un it ed Nations on different occasions, mainly the Human Rights Council and treaty bodies. Mr. Morales Estrada travelled to Geneva at the end of November 2017 to take p art in t h e 94th session of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the 10th session of the United Nations Forum on Minority Issues. 23. On 18 December 2017, Mr. Morales Estrada received a summons to appear b efo re the local police in Pinar del Río. During his interrogation, he was allegedly threatened an d informed that from that day he would be prohibited from traveling outside of Cu b a d u e t o his human rights advocacy with the United Nations. The official-in -ch arge is alleg ed t o have said that his participation in United Nations forums had negative effects fo r Cu b a at the international level. In a letter dated 6 April 2018, the Government categorically rejected the allegations, stating that Cuba does not detain, threaten or harass people for p eacefu lly exercising their rights and that Mr. Morales Estrada is free to leave the country. 24. According to information received on 18 February 2018, Ms. Dora L. Mesa, of Asociación Cubana para el Desarrollo de la ducación Infantil (ACDEI), was advised at t h e passport office (Oficinas de la Dirección de Inmigración y Extranjería) that an indefinite travel ban had been imposed on her due to ‘public interest.’ Ms. Mesa has no past crimin al or judicial charge pending, and there is concern that this de facto travel ban has been imposed as a reprisal in relation to her previous engagement with United Nat ions h uman rights mechanisms and to prevent her from engaging with the universal p erio dic rev iew. She has reportedly been subject to surveillance and harassment at her home. 25. Ms. Mesa, Mr. Juan Antonio Madrazo Luna and Ms. Marthadela Tamayo González, had planned to participate in pre-meetings related to the universal perio dic rev iew. On 7 April 2018, Mr. Madrazo Luna and Ms. Tamayo González both members of the Comité Ciudadanos por la Integración Racial (CIR), were subject to intense scrutiny at the airp o rt by customs and immigration officials, and were prevented from being able to board the plane to travel to Geneva. On 12 May 2018, Mr. Madrazo Luna was traveling to attend t he universal periodic review session and intercepted at Havana airport an d d et ain ed b y t h e police for two hours for a “verification of (his) documents” which ensured h e mis s ed h i s flight to Geneva (via Madrid). It was also reported that the taxi driver driving Mr. Madrazo Luna to the airport was fined by the police, detained and driven to a police station where he was interrogated. During the universal periodic review of Cuba in May 2018, a Member GE.18-13325 23