UNITED NATIONS A General Assembly Distr. GENERAL A/HRC/4/27/Add.1 26 March 2007 Original: ENGLISH/FRENCH/SPANISH HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Fourth session Agenda item 2 IMPLEMENTATION OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION 60/251 OF 15 MARCH 2006 ENTITLED “HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL” CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS, INCLUDING THE QUESTION OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION The right to freedom of opinion and expression Report of the Special Rapporteur, Amebyi Ligabo Addendum Summary of cases transmitted to Governments and replies received* * The present document is being circulated as received, in the languages of submission only, as it greatly exceeds the word limitations currently imposed by the relevant General Assembly resolutions. A/HRC/4/27/Add.1 page 2 CONTENTS Paragraphs page INTRODUCTION 1 – 7 5 SUMMARY OF CASES TRANSMITTED AND REPLIES RECEIVED Afghanistan ……………………………………………………… 8 – 11 6 Algeria …………………………………………………………… 12 – 20 7 Angola …………………………………………………………… 21 – 25 12 Argentina ………………………………………………………… 26 – 29 13 Armenia ………………………………………………………….. 30 – 31 16 Australia …………………………………………………………. 32 – 33 17 Azerbaijan ……………………………………………………….. 34 – 46 17 Bahrain …………………………….…………………………….. 47 – 50 20 Bangladesh ………………………………………………………. 51 – 58 21 Belarus …………………………………………………………… 59 – 77 23 Bhutan …………………………………………………………… 78 – 80 34 Brazil …………………………………………………………….. 81 - 87 35 Burundi …………………………………………………………... 88 – 93 37 Cambodia ………………………………………………………… 94 – 101 38 Cameroon ………………………………………………………… 102 – 104 41 Central African Republic ………………………………………… 105 – 107 43 Chad ……………………………………………………………… 108 – 111 44 Chile ……………………………………………………………… 112 – 117 45 China ………………………………………….………………….. 118 – 143 47 Colombia ……………………………………….………………… 144 – 164 59 Côte d’Ivoire ………………………………………………………. 165 – 166 66 Croatia …………………………………………….……………… 167 67 Cuba ……………………………………………………………… 168 – 183 67 Democratic Republic of the Congo ……………………………… 184 – 197 72 Djibouti …………………………………………….…………….. 198 – 202 76 Dominican Republic ……………………………………………... 203 – 204 79 Ecuador …………………………………………….…………….. 205 – 208 79 Egypt ……………………………………………….…………….. 209 - 221 81 Equatorial Guinea …………………………………….………… 222 – 223 87 Eritrea ……………………………………………….……………. 224 – 226 88 Ethiopia ……………………………………………….………….. 227 – 240 89 Gabon ………………………………………………….…………. 241 – 242 93 Gambia …………………………………………………………… 243 – 245 94 Georgia …………………………………………………….……... 246 – 247 95 Ghana ……………………………………………………….……. 248 95 A/HRC/4/27/Add.1 page 3 CONTENTS (continued) Paragraphs page Greece ……………………………………………….…….……… 249 – 250 95 Guatemala …………………………………………………….….. 251 – 257 96 Honduras ……………………………………………….………… 258 – 259 99 India …………………………………………………….………… 260 – 266 99 Indonesia ……………………………………………….………… 267 – 277 101 Iran (Islamic Republic of) ……………………………….……….. 278 – 312 104 Iraq ……………………………………………………….………. 313 – 322 115 Israel ……………………………………………………………… 323 – 337 118 Italy ……………………………………………………………….. 338 – 340 123 Kazakhstan ……………………………………………………….. 341 – 345 123 Kyrgyzstan ……………………………………………………….. 346 - 348 127 Lebanon …………………………………………………………... 349 – 350 128 Libyan Arab Jamahiriya …………………………………..……… 351 – 352 132 Malaysia ………………………………………………………….. 353 – 355 132 Maldives ………………………………………………………….. 356 – 358 133 Mauritania ………………………………………………………... 359 – 361 135 Mexico ……………………………………………………………. 362 – 396 135 Morocco ………………………………………………………….. 397 – 404 149 Myanmar …………………………………………………………. 405 – 413 156 Namibia …………………………………………………………... 414 – 416 159 Nepal ……………………………………………………………... 417 – 471 160 Niger ……………………………………………………………… 472 – 474 171 Nigeria ……………………………………………………………. 475 – 479 172 Pakistan …………………………………………………………... 480 – 493 175 Paraguay ………………………………………………………….. 494 – 504 179 Peru ………………………………………………………………. 505 – 512 182 Philippines ………………………………………………………... 513 – 540 185 Republic of Korea ………………………………………………... 541 – 547 195 Republic of Serbia ………………………………………………... 548 – 550 198 Romania ………………………………………………………….. 551 -553 198 Russian Federation ……………………………………………….. 554 - 561 200 Saudi Arabia ……………………………………………………… 562 – 564 203 Serbia and Montenegro …………………………………………... 565 204 Senegal …………………………………………………………… 566 – 569 205 Singapore ………………………………………………………… 570 – 573 207 Somalia …………………………………………………………... 574 – 576 211 Spain ……………………………………………………………… 577 – 579 212 Sri Lanka …………………………………………………………. 580 – 596 213 Sudan …………………………………………………………….. 597 – 608 218 Syrian Arab Republic ……………………………………………. 609 – 625 223 Tajikistan ………………………………………………………… 626 – 627 230 A/HRC/4/27/Add.1 page 4 CONTENTS (continued) Paragraphs page Thailand ………………………………………………………….. 628 – 632 230 The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia …………………… 633 – 634 232 Tunisia ……………………………………………………………. 635 – 668 233 Turkey ……………………………………………………………. 669 – 681 248 Turkmenistan …………………………………………………….. 682 – 686 252 Uganda …………………………………………………………… 687 – 690 255 United Arab Emirates ……………………………………………. 691 – 692 256 United Republic of Tanzania …………………………………….. 693 – 695 257 United States of America ………………………………………… 696 – 701 257 Uzbekistan ………………………………………………………... 702 – 709 259 Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) ……………………………… 710 – 713 263 Viet Nam …………………………………………………………. 714 264 Zimbabwe ………………………………………………………… 715 – 731 264 Annex …………………………………………………………….. 273 A/HRC/4/27/Add.1 page 5 INTRODUCTION 1. At its sixty-first session, the Commission on Human Rights, in its resolution 2005/38 entitled ‘The right to freedom of opinion and expression’, appealed to all States to cooperate fully with and assist the Special Rapporteur in the performance of his tasks, and to provide him with all necessary information requested by him. The Human Rights Council, in its decision 1/102, dated 30 June 2006, decided to extend exceptionally for one year, subject to the review to be undertaken by the Human Rights Council in conformity with General Assembly resolution 60/251, the mandates and the mandate holders of all the special procedures of the Commission on Human Rights. The Human Rights Council also requested the special procedures to continue with the implementation of their mandates and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue to provide them with the necessary support. 2. In accordance with the above-mentioned provisions, the present report contains, on a country-by-country basis, summaries of general and individual allegations, as well as urgent appeals transmitted to Governments between 1 January and 31 December 2006, as well as replies received during the same period. Observations made by the Special Rapporteur have also been included where applicable. 3. During the period under review, the Special Rapporteur transmitted 399 communications on behalf of 1227 persons to the Governments of 89 countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bhutan, Brazil, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, the People’s Republic of China, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Islamic Republic of Iran, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Republic of Serbia, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Serbia and Montenegro†, Senegal, Singapore, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, United States of America, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam and Zimbabwe. 4. Replies to communications received after 31 December 2006 will be included in the next communication report of the Special Rapporteur as well as replies not yet translated by 31 December 2006. 5. Owing to restrictions on the length of documents, the Special Rapporteur has been obliged to reduce considerably details of communications sent and received. The full text of all † The reply from the Government was sent before 3 June 2006, when the Secretary-General received a letter from the President of the Republic of Serbia informing him that the membership of Serbia and Montenegro in the United Nations was to be continued by the Republic of Serbia and that the name “Republic of Serbia” was henceforth to be used instead of the name “Serbia and Montenegro”. A/HRC/4/27/Add.1 page 6 communications is available within the files of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. 6. In reporting on the communications the Special Rapporteur has used initials for those victims, who, in his opinion, could be in a potentially sensitive situation, in order to respect their privacy and to prevent the possibility of further victimization. With a view to preserving the presumption of innocence, the Special Rapporteur omitted to include the names of alleged perpetrators, and of other individuals involved in the cases included in this report. Conversely, Governments’ communications may contain names of persons and/or disclose specific situations linked to the violation. 7. The Special Rapporteur wishes to reiterate that violations and concerns regarding the right to freedom of opinion and expression are, to different extents, a common phenomenon in the whole world. Consequently, the exclusion or the inclusion of a particular country