A/HRC/45/16
36.
During the period under review, the Working Group also sent 80 letters of allegation
and other letters to other actors (1) and to 43 States, namely: Algeria (3), Australia (1),
Azerbaijan (1), Bahrain (4), Belarus (3), Belgium (1), Cambodia (2), Cameroon (3), China
(2 allegation letters and 1 other letter), Côte d’Ivoire (1), Cuba (1), Egypt (5), Equatorial
Guinea (1), France (1), Gabon (1), India (4 allegation letters and 1 other letter), Indonesia
(1), Iran (Islamic Republic of) (3), Jordan (1), Kazakhstan (1), Kenya (1), Lebanon (1),
Mexico (1 allegation letter and 1 other letter), Morocco (4), Myanmar (4), Nicaragua (2),
Nigeria (2), Pakistan (1), Peru (2), Russian Federation (1), Saudi Arabia (2), South Sudan
(1), Spain (1), Switzerland (1), Turkey (1), Turkmenistan (2), Uganda (1), United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1), United States of America (1), Venezuela
(Bolivarian Republic of) (2), Viet Nam (1), Yemen (1) and Zimbabwe (2).
37.
The Working Group wishes to thank those Governments that responded to its appeals
and that took steps to provide it with information on the situation of the individuals
concerned, especially the Governments that released such individuals. The Working Group
recalls that, in paragraph 4 (f) of its resolution 5/1, the Human Rights Council requested all
States to cooperate and engage fully with the United Nations human rights mechanisms.
E.
Country visits
1.
Requests for visits
38.
During 2019, the Working Group made requests to Morocco (10 May 2019) and
Tunisia (9 May 2019) to conduct country visits. The Working Group has also sent reminders
of its earlier requests to visit Iran (Islamic Republic of) (19 July 2019), Maldives (5 March
2019), Myanmar (2 October 2019), the Republic of Korea (2 October 2019), Turkey (9
August 2019) and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) (2 October 2019).
39.
During the course of the year, the Working Group met with the Permanent Missions
of Australia, Bahrain, Chile, Colombia, Greece, Hungary, Japan, Maldives, Mexico,
Morocco, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, Tunisia, Turkey and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic
of) to discuss the possibility of a country visit.
2.
Responses of Governments to requests for country visits
40.
In a note verbale dated 27 March 2019, the Permanent Mission of Australia replied
that the proposed time period for carrying out a country visit in either February or March
2020 was acceptable for the Government. In its correspondence of 2 December 2019, the
Permanent Mission of Australia invited the Working Group to undertake the visit from 10 to
23 March 2020.
41.
In a note verbale dated 9 October 2019, the Permanent Mission of Maldives replied
that the Government of Maldives would be happy to invite the Working Group to conduct a
country visit in 2020 or at the earliest possible opportunity.
42.
In a note verbale dated 8 November 2019, the Permanent Mission of Myanmar replied
that, due to other prior commitments, it was not ready to facilitate a country visit at that time.
43.
In correspondence dated 22 September 2019, the Permanent Mission of Tunisia
confirmed the Government’s willingness to invite the Working Group for an official visit
during the first semester of 2020.
III. Thematic issues
44.
During the reporting period, the Working Group considered thematic issues raised in
its jurisprudence and practice.
A.
Women deprived of their liberty
45.
As the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Noncustodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules) approaches its tenth
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