A/HRC/10/29 society space, namely to ensure freedom of expression, assembly, association and the right to participate in public and political life, to adopt a national plan of action to improve the human rights situation and to implement some of the recommendations of the treaty bodies on freedom of peaceful assembly, to investigate all reports of assaults on human rights defenders and to bring to justice those responsible. Civicus requested that the visit of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders be facilitated at the earliest time possible. 689. Action Canada for Population and Development urged Uzbekistan to provide a friendly environment, without State interference or fear of reprisal, for non-governmental organizations working on the issues of sexual rights, women’s rights, reproductive health and rights, and HIV/AIDS. It also called on the Government to conduct proper investigation of closures of non-governmental organizations, punish those responsible for unjustified closures and restore their legal personhood to the organizations affected, specifically crisis centres for women. It supported the recommendation to invite the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, stressing the importance of examining the situation of defenders working on women’s rights and sexual and reproductive rights. It called on the Government to repeal article 120 of the criminal code and decriminalize consensual samesex behaviour among adults. 690. Amnesty International welcomed Uzbekistan’s support of the recommendations to establish a national independent mechanism to monitor all places of detention and to consider complaints. It expressed dismay that Uzbekistan regarded the establishment of an independent international investigation into the events of May 2005 in Andijan as inconsistent with its obligations under international human rights standards. It noted that, during the interactive dialogue, Uzbekistan had rejected as “unfounded” the reports that excessive and disproportionate force had been used during these events. It also urged Uzbekistan to reconsider its rejection of recommendations to release all detained human rights defenders and to ensure that everyone, including human rights defenders, peacefully exercised their right to freedom of expression in conformity with Uzbekistan’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 691. The International Commission of Jurists expressed concern that Uzbekistan had accepted only very general and sometimes vague recommendations, and made reservations or eventually refused those that were specific and measurable. In particular, it urged the Government to permit an effective investigation into the Andijan events through an independent international commission of inquiry; to refrain from the prosecution of dissenting political and religious activists, journalists and human rights defenders on vaguely defined charges relating to terrorism, extremism, separatism or religious practice; to narrow the definition of what constitutes “terrorist acts” in accordance with the principle of legality of offences; to ensure that its legislation on criminal procedure complies with all due process guarantees; to ensure the absolute prohibition of torture and to adopt the definition of torture in compliance with article 1 of the Convention against Torture; to provide for effective access by the public to criminal trials; and to give unhindered access to the special procedures that have outstanding requests for visits. 692. Human Rights Watch lamented the Government’s decision to reject the recommendations urging the release of human rights defenders and civil society activists. It noted that at least 11 human rights defenders were still held in prison. It had been forced to suspend its activities in Uzbekistan in July 2008 after the Government’s denial of work accreditation and outright ban on its research. It expressed regret at the Government’s continued refusal to accept responsibility for the massacre in May 2005 in Andijan. Human Rights Watch also expressed regret at the Government’s decision to reject the recommendation to stop pursuing the forcible return of Uzbek asylum-seekers from GE.09-17451 201