35/44 Communications report of Special Procedures
Document Type: Final Report
Date: 2017 May
Session: 35th Regular Session (2017 Jun)
Agenda Item: Item3: Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development
GE.17-08410(E)
Human Rights Council Thirty-fifth session
Agenda items 3, 4, 7, 9 and 10
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights,
including the right to development
Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention
Human rights situation in Palestine and other
occupied Arab territories
Racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
forms of intolerance, follow-up to and implementation
of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action
Technical assistance and capacity-building
Communications report of Special Procedures*
Communications sent, 1 December 2016 to 28 February 2017;
Replies received, 1 February to 30 April 2017
Joint report by the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the
right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this
context; the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with
albinism; the Working Group of Experts on people of African descent; the Working
Group on arbitrary detention; the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human
rights in Belarus; the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in
Cambodia; the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Central
African Republic; the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights; the
Independent expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international
order; the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea; the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with
disabilities; the Special Rapporteur on the right to education; the Special Rapporteur
on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean,
healthy and sustainable environment; the Working Group on enforced or involuntary
disappearances; the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea;
* The present report is circulated as received.
United Nations A/HRC/35/44
General Assembly Distr.: General 24 May 2017
English only
the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights; the Special
Rapporteur on the right to food; the Independent expert on the effects of foreign debt
and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of
human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights; the Special
Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and
expression; the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and
of association; the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief; the
Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Haiti; the Special Rapporteur
on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of
physical and mental health; the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights
defenders; the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers; the
Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples; the Special Rapporteur on the
human rights of internally displaced persons; the Special Rapporteur on the situation
of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran; the Working Group on the use of
mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the
right of peoples to self-determination; the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of
migrants; the Special Rapporteur on minority issues; the Special Rapporteur on the
situation of human rights in Myanmar; the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of
all human rights by older persons; the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human
rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967; the Special Rapporteur on
the right to privacy; the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; the Special Rapporteur on the
sale and sexual exploitation of children, including child prostitution, child
pornography and other child sexual abuse material; the Special Rapporteur on
contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences; the
Independent Expert on the situation on human rights in the Sudan; the Special
Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; the Special
Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental
freedoms while countering terrorism; the Special Rapporteur on torture and other
cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; the Special Rapporteur on the
implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal
of hazardous substances and wastes; the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons,
especially women and children; the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth,
justice, reparation & guarantees of non-recurrence; the Working Group on the issue
of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises; the
Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of the unilateral coercive measures on the
enjoyment of human rights; Independent Expert on protection against violence and
discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; the Special
Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences; the Working
Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and in practice; and the
Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation.
Contents
Page
Abbreviations ................................................................................................................................... 4
I. Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 7
II. Communications sent and replies received ...................................................................................... 12
Communications sent between 1December 2016 and 28 February 2017 and replies
received between 1 February and 30 April 2017 .............................................................................. 12
Appendix
Mandates of special procedures ....................................................................................................... 13
Abbreviations
African Descent Working Group of Experts on people of African descent
Albinism Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Arbitrary detention Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
Belarus Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus
Burundi Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burundi
Business enterprises Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other
business enterprises
Cambodia Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia
Central Africa Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Central African Republic
Côte d'Ivoire Independent Expert on capacity-building and technical cooperation with Côte d’Ivoire in the
field of human rights
Cultural Rights Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights
Development Special Rapporteur on the right to development
Disability Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
Disappearances Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances
Discrimination against
women
Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and in practice
DPR Korea Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of
Korea
Education Special Rapporteur on the right to education
Environment Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a
safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment
Eritrea Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea
Extreme poverty Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
Food Special Rapporteur on the right to food
Foreign debt Independent expert on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial
obligations of States on the full enjoyment of human rights, particularly economic, social
and cultural rights
Freedom of expression Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and
expression
Freedom of peaceful
assembly and of
association
Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association
Freedom of religion Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief
Haiti
Hazardous substances and
wastes
Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Haiti
Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound
management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes
Health Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable
standard of physical and mental health
Human rights defenders
Housing
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard
of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context
Independence of judges
and lawyers
Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers
Indigenous peoples Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples
Internally displaced
persons
International order
Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons
Independent expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order
International Solidarity Independent Expert on Human Rights and International solidarity
Iran Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran
Mali Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Mali
Mercenaries Working Group on the use of mercenaries
Migrants Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
Minority issues Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues
Myanmar Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar
OPT Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied
since 1967
Older persons Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons
Privacy Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy
Racism Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and
related intolerance
Sale of children
Sexual orientation and
gender identity
Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children, including child
prostitution, child pornography and other child sexual abuse material
Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual
orientation and gender identity
Slavery Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery
Somalia Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Somalia
Sudan Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Sudan
Summary executions Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions
Terrorism Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental
freedoms while countering terrorism
Torture Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment
Trafficking Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children
Truth justice, reparation &
guarantees on non-
recurrence
Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation & guarantees of non-
recurrence
Unilateral coercive
measures
Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment
of human rights
Violence against women Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences
Water and Sanitation Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation
Other abbreviations
AL Letter of allegation
JAL Joint letter of allegation
JUA Joint urgent appeal
UA Urgent appeal
I. Introduction
1. Special procedures are mandated by the Human Rights Council to report to it on
their activities (see Appendix).
2. In 2009, the sixteenth annual meeting of special procedures mandate holders
decided that a joint communications report would be prepared (cf. A/HRC/12/47, paras 24-
26), with this decision being reconfirmed by the seventeenth annual meeting of special
procedures in 2010 in order to avoid duplication, rationalize documentation, allow
examination of cross cutting issues and ensure that the content of communications and any
follow-up would feed into the universal periodic review mechanism more effectively.
Mandate holders decided that the report should contain summaries of communications and
statistical information (A/HRC/15/44, para. 26-27).
3. The Outcome of the review of the work and functioning of the Human Rights
Council calls on the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to maintain
information on special procedures in a comprehensive and easily accessible manner, and
encourages the use of modern information technology to reduce the circulation of paper
(A/HRC/RES/16/21, Annex, paras. 29 and 60).
4. All short summaries of allegations communicated to the respective State or other
entity are made available on the Special Procedures communications website, link to which
is included in paragraph 10 of the present report. The communications sent and responses
received are also accessible electronically through hyperlinks. Communications are
reproduced in the language in which they were sent. Replies received in Arabic, Chinese or
Russian are included with translations into English, where available.
5. This website now reports all urgent appeals, and letters of allegations sent by
special procedures mandate holders between 1 December 2016 and 28 February 2017 and
replies received until 30 April 2017. Communications sent before 1 December 2016 are
reported in A/HRC/34/75, A/HRC/33/32, A/HRC/33/32 corr.1, A/HRC/32/53,
A/HRC/31/79, A/HRC/30/27, A/HRC/29/50, A/HRC/28/85, A/HRC/27/72, A/HRC/26/21,
A/HRC/25/74, A/HRC/24/21, A/HRC/23/51, A/HRC/22/67, A/HRC/22/67 corr.1 and
corr.2, A/HRC/21/49, A/HRC/20/30, A/HRC/19/44 and A/HRC/18/51 respectively are also
made available on the dedicated website.
6. Also as part of this report, the special procedures communications website also
includes replies received between 1 August 2016 and 31 January 2017 relating to
communications sent by special procedures mandate holders before 1 June 2016. Some of
these replies supplement information communicated earlier by the respective State.
7. The present report contains urgent appeals sent by the Working Group on Arbitrary
Detention and the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances and joint
urgent appeals sent by them together with other mandates. It does not contain other types of
communications issued by these mandates, which are processed according to their own
distinctive procedures, and are reported in the annual reports of these two working groups.
8. The names of some alleged victims have been obscured in order to protect their
privacy and prevent further victimization. Names of victims who would otherwise have
their identities protected are mentioned only when the individual concerned or their direct
family has expressly consented or requested to have his or her name in the public report. In
the original communications, the full names of the alleged victims were provided to the
Government concerned. Names of alleged perpetrators have systematically been darkened
in State replies to preserve the presumption of innocence.
9. In total 182 communications were sent during this reporting period to 58 countries
to which replies were received from 35 countries as listed below:
Name of countries Number of
communications sent
Replies received
Afghanistan 1 0
Algeria 4 4
Argentina 1 1
Australia 1 1
Azerbaijan 1 1
Bahrain 3 3
Bangladesh 3 1
Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 1 0
Brazil 3 1
Burundi 1 0
Cameroon 3 1
Canada 1 1
China 5 4
Colombia 1 1
Democratic Republic of the Congo 2 1
Ecuador 2 1
Egypt 4 2
El Salvador 1 0
Equatorial Guinea 1 0
Ethiopia 2 0
France 2 2
Gambia 1 0
Greece 1 1
Guatemala 2 1
Haiti 1 0
India 2 0
Iran (Islamic Republic of) 9 3
Iraq 1 0
Israel 2 0
Italy 1 1
Japan 1 1
Kazakhstan 2 2
Kenya 5 0
Lebanon 3 1
Libya 1 0
Malaysia 2 0
Malta 1 1
Mexico 1 0
Morocco 1 0
Myanmar 2 1
Nigeria 2 0
Norway 1 1
Pakistan 2 0
Philippines 4 1
Rwanda 1 0
Saudi Arabia 3 2
Serbia 1 0
South Sudan 1 0
Sri Lanka 1 1
Sudan 3 0
Thailand 1 1
Turkey 2 1
Ukraine 1 1
United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland
2 2
United Republic of Tanzania 1 0
United States of America 2 1
Uzbekistan 1 1
Viet Nam 2 1
10. These communications concerned 287 alleged victims of which 182 are male, 56 are
female and 49 others.
11. In preparing the statistics included in this report, uniform reporting periods have
been used, reflecting all communications sent between 1 December 2016 and 28 February
2017, and responses received in relation to these communications up to 30 April 2017.
Communications and replies by mandate
Mandate
Reporting period:
1 December 2016 to 28 February 2017
Reporting period:
1 June 2006 to 28 February 2017
Communications
sent
replied to by 30
April 2017
response
rate
Communications
sent
replied to by 30
April 2017
response
rate
African Descent 1 1 100% 22 14 64%
Albinism 0 0 0% 5 0 0%
Arbitrary Detention (+) 34 15 44% 1413 780 55%
Belarus* 0 0 0% 10 7 70%
Burundi** 0 0 0% 6 0 0%
Business 1 1 100% 86 48 56%
Cambodia 0 0 0% 31 6 19%
Central African Republic 0 0 0% 1 0 0%
Cultural rights 3 2 67% 76 55 72%
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea 0 0 0% 9 1 11%
Disability 7 3 43% 36 18 50%
Disappearances (+) 15 5 33% 361 161 45%
Education 4 3 75% 72 45 63%
Environment 5 2 40% 57 31 54%
Eritrea 0 0 0% 2 0 0%
Executions 20 6 30% 1297 625 48%
Food 2 1 50% 222 91 41%
Foreign debt 2 1 50% 21 12 57%
Freedom of opinion and expression 50 22 44% 2776 1462 53%
Freedom of peaceful assembly and of association 37 17 46% 1045 605 58%
Haiti 1 0 0% 12 3 25%
Hazardous substances*** 2 0 0% 74 46 62%
Health 21 9 43% 594 350 59%
Housing 7 5 71% 316 158 50%
Human rights defenders 47 21 45% 3038 1705 56%
Independence of judges and lawyers 2 0 0% 1148 630 55%
Indigenous peoples 10 4 40% 409 244 60%
Internally displaced persons 2 0 0% 24 10 42%
International order 2 1 50% 30 23 77%
International solidarity 0 0 0% 12 12 100%
Mandate
Reporting period:
1 December 2016 to 28 February 2017
Reporting period:
1 June 2006 to 28 February 2017
Communications
sent
replied to by 30
April 2017
response
rate
Communications
sent
replied to by 30
April 2017
response
rate
Islamic Republic of Iran 10 3 30% 147 79 54%
Liberia 0 0 0% 2 0 0%
Mercenaries 0 0 0% 73 28 38%
Migrants 13 9 69% 247 160 65%
Minority issues 11 5 45% 242 143 59%
Myanmar 2 1 50% 109 55 51%
Older persons 0 0 0% 2 2 100%
Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 1 0 0% 42 8 19%
Poverty 7 6 86% 66 49 74%
Privacy 0 0 0% 17 16 94%
Racism 6 5 83% 128 79 62%
Religion or belief 8 3 38% 443 267 60%
Sale of children 2 1 50% 61 23 38%
Sexual orientation and gender identity 0 0 0% 1 0 0%
Slavery 4 3 75% 46 27 59%
Somalia 0 0 0% 19 6 32%
Sudan 3 0 0% 36 6 17%
Terrorism 5 2 40% 283 134 47%
Torture 30 13 43% 2175 1179 54%
Trafficking in persons 2 0 0% 78 45 58%
Truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-
recurrence
1 1 100% 41 25 61%
Unilateral coercive measures 0 0 0% 2 2 100%
Violence against women 4 2 50% 540 289 54%
Water and sanitation 3 1 33% 85 55 65%
Women in law and in practice 6 3 50% 186 93 50%
(*) mandate re-established in June 2012, (**) mandate terminated, (***) mandate name changed from ‘toxic waste’
(+) These figures do not include communications on standard cases sent to Governments by the Working Group on arbitrary
detention and the Working Group on enforced or involuntary disappearances.
Please note: Totals are higher than the actual number of communications sent or replies received in the given period, as many
communications are sent jointly by two or more mandate holders.
II. Communications sent and replies received
Communications sent between 1 December 2016 and 28 February 2017
and their replies received until 30 April 2017. Also all replies received
during this period to communications sent before 1 December 2016
12. All communications and their replies are available through Special Procedures
communications website at the link
https://spcommreports.ohchr.org
Appendix
Mandates of special procedures (until 31 March 2017)
Mandate title
Human Rights
Council
resolution
Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context
34/9
Working Group of Experts on people of African descent 27/25
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights of persons with albinism 28/6
Working Group on Arbitrary Detention 33/30
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus 32/26
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia 30/23
Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Central African Republic 33/27
Independent Expert on capacity-building and technical cooperation with Côte d’Ivoire 26/32
Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights 28/9
Independent expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order 27/9
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
34/24
Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities 26/20
Special Rapporteur on right to development 33/14
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea 32/24
Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances 27/1
Independent expert on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights
34/3
Special Rapporteur on the right to education 26/17
Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment
28/11
Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights 26/3
Special Rapporteur on the right to food 32/8
Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
34/18
Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association 32/32
Mandate title
Human Rights
Council
resolution
Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief 31/16
Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Haiti (Mandate formally closed by HRC President Statement : PRST 34/1)
PRST 25/1
Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
33/9
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders 34/5
Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers 26/7
Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples 33/12
Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons 32/11
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran 34/23
Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Mali 34/39
Working Group on the use of mercenaries 33/4
Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants 34/21
Special Rapporteur on minority issues 34/6
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar 34/22
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons 33/5
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967
5/1
Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy 28/16
Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation & guarantees of non- recurrence
27/3
Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
34/35
Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children, including child prostitution, child pornography and other child sexual abuse material
34/16
Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery 33/1
Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity
32/2
Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity 26/6
Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Sudan 33/26
Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Somalia 33/17
Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions 26/12
Mandate title
Human Rights
Council
resolution
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic S-18/1
Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism
31/3
Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
34/19
Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes
27/23
Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children 26/8
Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises
26/22
Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of the unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights
27/21
Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences 32/19
Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and in practice 32/4
Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation 33/10