A/HRC/4/42 page 9 Notwithstanding the above, I am able to confirm to you that in May 2005 the brothers Jose and Juan Maturana Carrasco and Ms. Maria Martinez Acuna filed an application for amparo (under No. 12.429) with the Santiago Appeals Court against the company ESEU S.A., on which a ruling has apparently yet to be handed down. I can further inform you that in July 2004 Senator Alejando Navarro sought the backing of the Government for a bill aimed at prohibiting and making punishable in law the recruitment, financing, maintenance and dispatch of mercenaries abroad. The bill is currently at the initial legislative stage, for reporting by the Defence Committee. 22. The Working Group welcomes the information received from the Government of Chile, and looks forward to further exchanges on the situation. 23. By letter dated 7 March 2006, the Working Group recalled for the Government of Equatorial Guinea the communication sent on 2 June 2005 by the former Special Rapporteur on mercenaries, Ms. Shaista Shameem, concerning the reported situation in prison of alleged mercenaries convicted in 2004 of attempting to overthrow the Government of Equatorial Guinea. It related allegations of torture and mistreatment. The Working Group reiterated concerns vis-a-vis the situation, and urged the Government to take all necessary measures to guarantee that the rights and freedoms of the aforementioned persons were respected and that accountability of any person guilty of the alleged violations was ensured. 24. By 15 December 2006, the Working Group had not received information on the situation from the Government of Equatorial Guinea. 25. On 5 and 12 December 2006, the Working Group sent urgent appeals to the Government of Honduras, conveying information of threats by telephone text messages received by lawyers of the Asociacion para una Sociedad mas Justa (ASJ) in Honduras. The Working Group was informed that ASJ staff provided juridical advice and support to some 12 former employees of a private security company, and that the threats allegedly originated from individuals of the private security company in question. The Working Group expressed its concern that one of the ASJ staff threatened was killed in Honduras by two unidentified men on motorbike on 4 December 2006. It also conveyed information of continued threats received by other ASJ personnel. The Working Group was informed that former employees of the private security company and their family members also received threats when bringing claims against the private security company over labour rights disputes, including charges of non-fulfilment of contracts and withholding of remuneration. The Working Group urged the Government of Honduras to undertake a prompt and comprehensive investigation into the killing of the individual on 4 December, and requested information on whether the private security company was legally registered and had obtained permits and licences to operate as a private security company in Honduras. In noting the creation of a special unit in the Ministry of Public Security, with the mandate to undertake joint inspections with the Ministry of Labour on PMSCs, the Working Group requested information as to whether the PMSC concerned had been or was being investigated, and what protective measures were taken by the Government to ensure the safety of the other individuals having received threats.