A/HRC/36/31 reprisal against witnesses, victims and sources, which raised the need to ensure their protection. 51. During his visit to South Sudan in February 2017, the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights met with a number of government authorities, including cabinet ministers and heads of security forces, to whom he stressed the absolute need to avoid reprisals and threats against human rights defenders who have cooperated with the United Nations. He addressed specific cases of individuals cooperating with UNMISS and with United Nations entities abroad, including those cases in which individuals were forced to leave South Sudan due to intimidation and threats. In this connection, he drew attention to a specific incident, in September 2016, in which human rights defenders were threatened following their meeting with members of the Security Council during their visit to South Sudan. In July 2017, he also addressed the situation of reprisals to the Government of South Sudan in writing.6 21. Sri Lanka 52. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in his address to the Human Rights Council on 22 March 2017, stressed that he was disturbed to hear reports of intimidation of members of Sri Lankan civil society in the Palais des Nations in Geneva. He referred the case to the Assistant Secretary-General, trusting that the President of the Council would pay these cases the close attention they warranted. 53. In his report to the Human Rights Council at its thirty-fourth session (A/HRC/34/20), the High Commissioner stressed that reports of harassment or surveillance of human rights defenders and victims of violations had continued in Sri Lanka, albeit to a lesser degree. Special procedure mandate holders also addressed the allegations of acts of reprisal and intimidation against S. Ganeshnantham and other members of the Pupil Salvation Forum, a civil society organization, relating to their participation in the thirty-fourth session of the Council (see A/HRC/36/25, para. 13, LKA 1/2017). 22. Sudan 54. On 28 July 2016, the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Sudan expressed his concerns regarding the interception of four representatives of Sudanese civil society at Khartoum International Airport on their way to Geneva, where they were to participate in pre-session meetings of the universal periodic review on the Sudan (A/HRC/33/65, para. 28). 55. On 9 January 2017, special procedure mandate holders expressed their concerns to the Government of the Sudan with regard to allegations of reprisals against six human rights defenders, staff members and affiliates of the Centre for Training and Human Development, reportedly in part because of their cooperation with the Human Rights Council (see A/HRC/35/44, para. 12, SDN 1/2017). 23. Tajikistan 56. On 2 June 2016, the Supreme Court of Tajikistan sentenced leaders of the banned Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan to life imprisonment and jail terms ranging from two to 28 years. On the same day, and in direct response to the conviction, relatives of those convicted intending to seek assistance from the United Nations office in Tajikistan and to reach the premises of the United Nations were detained by law enforcement officials. On 7 June 2016, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression stated that he had received disturbing reports that relatives of the members convicted had been prevented by the police from reaching the United Nations office after the verdict was announced, and had been taken to a district court, where they were threatened to be arrested and fined for not obeying the police. The Special Rapporteur found the situation to be totally unacceptable, and that it furthered the climate of fear in the country. 7 6 7 12 See also OHCHR, “South Sudan: Senior UN human rights official condemns deplorable rights situation, calls for perpetrators to be held to account”, press release, 17 February 2017. OHCHR, “UN expert deplores harsh sentencing of Tajikistan opposition leaders and warns of radicalization”, press release, 7 June 2016.