A/HRC/15/16 disabled children and of non-Belarus nationals, and noted the increasing acknowledgement of the role of civil society. It made a recommendation. 71. Iraq sought clarification regarding the programme on human trafficking and illegal migration for the period 2008-2010, inquiring whether the Government intended to extend it. Iraq urged Belarus to cooperate with the Human Rights Council with regard to the special procedures. Iraq made a recommendation. 72. Tajikistan stated that Belarus had worked consistently to extend mechanisms for safeguarding, in particular, the right of citizens to work and the right to social security, together with the rights of children and women and the right to education, including human rights education. It asked about the country’s efforts to combat human trafficking. Tajikistan made recommendations. 73. Ireland welcomed the establishment of the European Union-Belarus Human Rights Dialogue and the introduction of a plan for gender equality. It asked questions about human rights defenders and the law on mass events. It expressed concern about reports concerning the arbitrary application of registration standards, the harassment and closure of nongovernmental organizations, the right to freedom of association, and the continuing difficulties faced by independent newspapers in being registered. It made recommendations. 74. The Syrian Arab Republic referred to the efforts of Belarus to find a compromise among realizing individual rights, heeding the interests of society and maintaining a balance in protecting human rights. It noted the country’s democratic progress. It made recommendations. 75. Canada expressed concern about the deteriorating human rights situation, in particular the lack of free and fair elections, the curtailment of political freedoms, the intimidation of political opponents, State control over media and restrictions on independent media, and restrictions on freedom of association and assembly. Canada made recommendations. 76. Netherlands commended Belarus for its efforts to combat the trafficking in persons. It referred to the country’s application of the death penalty and expressed concern about its procedures for appeals in such cases and about reports of the continued harassment, intimidation and arbitrary arrest of human rights defenders, politically active individuals and journalists. It made recommendations. 77. The Czech Republic referred to the issue of the death penalty. It raised the issues of protection against torture and the protection of human rights defenders. It requested Belarus to elaborate on its measures to strengthen the independence of the judiciary. It made recommendations. 78. Belgium remained concerned about the situation of human rights, despite a number of positive developments since 2008. It regretted the fact that Belarus was the only European State to apply the death penalty, and that the 2009 Act on the mass media unduly restricted freedom of the media. It also stated that civil society faced a series of unjustified obstacles compromising freedom of association. Belgium made recommendations. 79. Nepal referred to the efforts of Belarus in socio-economic and political development and in ensuring the rule of law and social justice. It highlighted the Act on Citizen Appeals as innovative and commended the country’s efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of eradicating poverty and its constructive cooperation with the international human rights mechanisms. 80. Djibouti noted the openness of Belarus with certain mechanisms of the Human Rights Council, which attested to its commitment to build a society based on social justice 11