(2005), 2178 (2014), 2341 (2017), 2354 (2017), 2368 (2017), 2370 (2017),
2395 (2017) and 2396 (2017); as well as Human Rights Council resolution
35/34 and General Assembly resolutions 49/60, 51/210, 72/123 and
72/180, in particular with international human rights law, refugee law, and
humanitarian law.
While awaiting a reply, we urge that all necessary interim measures be taken to
halt the alleged violations and prevent their recurrence and in the event that the
investigations support or suggest the allegations to be correct, to ensure the accountability
of any person responsible of the alleged violations.
This communication and any response received from your Excellency’s
Government will be made public via the communications reporting website within
60 days. They will also subsequently be made available in the usual report to be
presented to the Human Rights Council.
In light of the allegations of possible acts of reprisals for cooperation with the
United Nations in the field of human rights, we reserve the right to share this
communication – and any response received from Your Excellency’s Government - with
other UN bodies or representatives addressing intimidation and reprisals for cooperation
with the UN in the field of human rights, in particular the senior United Nations official
designated by the Secretary General to lead the efforts within the United Nations system
to address this issue.
We would like to inform your Excellency’s Government that after having
transmitted an urgent appeal to the Government, the Working Group on Arbitrary
Detention may transmit the case through its regular procedure in order to render an
opinion on whether the deprivation of liberty was arbitrary or not. Such urgent appeals in
no way prejudge any opinion the Working Group may render. The Government is
required to respond separately for the urgent appeal procedure and the regular procedure.
We intend to publicly express our concerns in the near future as, in our view, the
information upon which the press release will be based is sufficiently reliable to indicate
a matter warranting immediate attention. We also believe that the wider public should be
alerted to the potential implications of the above-mentioned allegations. The press release
will indicate that we have been in contact with your Excellency’s Government’s to clarify
the issue/s in question.
Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of our highest consideration.
Leigh Toomey
Vice-Chair of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
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