A/HRC/57/60 7. During the reporting period, Member States noted concerns over reported cases of reprisals against human rights defenders and civil society actors in the context of the universal periodic review during the fifty-fourth and fifty-fifth sessions of the Human Rights Council. 8. The special procedure mandate holders of the Human Rights Council continued to dedicate communications, statements and reports to allegations of intimidation and reprisals related to cooperation with them and the wider United Nations system. 4 The present report includes new allegations from seven communications concerning seven States (see annex I),5 and follow-up information on cases and legislation concerning five States (see annex II). 6 The mandate holders noted concerns about reprisals due to cooperation with the United Nations in seven reports7 and two oral statements8 to the Human Rights Council, and in two reports to the General Assembly.9 They also included references to the issue in four public statements in connection with country visits 10 and in four press releases concerning four countries.11 9. The Committee on Enforced Disappearances, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, and the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment addressed allegations of reprisal. The Committee against Torture put in place preventative or protection measures following fear of reprisals expressed by civil society actors for their engagement with the Committee. Five treaty bodies granted interim measures addressing allegations of risk of reprisals following the registration of individual communications, or reiterated requests for interim measures granted previously. 12 10. In its 2023 report to the General Assembly, the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture noted that its grantees increasingly faced risks, including reprisals, for their work with the United Nations human rights mechanisms, including the Fund.13 11. UN-Women sent a survey to 45 women civil society representatives who had briefed the Security Council in 2023, of whom 23 responded, with 5 of those reporting reprisals in connection with their briefing to the Council. In his 2024 report on conflict-related sexual violence, the Secretary-General recommended the enhancement of measures to protect women briefers to the Security Council.14 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 GE.24-14259 A/HRC/55/69, paras. 70 and 71. Algeria, China, Egypt, France, Philippines, Russian Federation and Turkmenistan. See communications DZA 5/2023 (in French), CHN 5/2024, EGY 1/2024, FRA 1/2024 (in French), PHL 4/2023, RUS 3/2024 and TKM 1/2023. All communications mentioned in the present report are available at https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/Tmsearch/TMDocuments. Bahrain, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Libya and United Arab Emirates. See communications BHR 3/2023, IRN 12/2023, IRN 7/2024, LAO 3/2023, LBY 3/2023 and ARE 1/2024. A/HRC/53/53, para. 19; A/HRC/53/38/Add.4, para. 63; A/HRC/54/51, para. 24; A/HRC/54/51/Add.2, paras. 58 and 59; A/HRC/54/54, paras. 111 and 112; A/HRC/55/50/Add.1, paras. 98 and 101; and A/HRC/55/69, paras. 70 and 71. See https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k11/k11sol9553; and https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k19/k19cghiu85. A/78/131, paras. 102, 105 and 106; and A/78/262, para. 22. See https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/issues/association/statements/20230926EOM-SR-FOAA-Algeria-en.pdf; https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/issues/defenders/statements/20231205-eomalgeria-sr-defenders-en.pdf; https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/12/algeria-continuedrestrictions-human-rights-defenders-undermine-social; and https://www.ohchr.org/en/mediaadvisories/2023/10/south-sudan-visit-un-expert-postponed. See https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/07/belarus-human-rights-situation-stillcatastrophic-un-expert-says; https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/07/bangladesh-must-endharassment-human-rights-defenders-un-experts; https://www.ohchr.org/en/pressreleases/2024/03/china-un-experts-renew-calls-accountability-cao-shunlis-death; and https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/12/uae-un-expert-denounces-new-charges-broughtagainst-jailed-human-rights. HRI/MC/2024/2, paras. 23, 24 and 44. A/HRC/55/32, para. 23. S/2024/292, para. 93 (e). 3