A/HRC/7/18 page 10 38. The Special Rapporteur notes that, in 1955, the Government ratified ILO Convention No. 87 on Freedom of Association and the Right to Organize. The Government has not fulfilled its obligations under that Convention. A complaint against the Government regarding six people recently sentenced to lengthy terms of imprisonment for organizing a meeting of workers is currently being considered by the ILO Freedom of Association Committee. He also notes that ILO has already called on the Government to review and revoke the convictions and release the people concerned. 39. The political parties and social organizations that are allowed to exist have been denied the ability to operate freely and securely. In particular, the regime has targeted its political opponents. The Government has continued to pressure members of NLD and the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy to resign and has arbitrarily renewed the house arrest of NLD leaders Aung San Suu Kyi and Tin Oo. In general, freedom of association exists only for Government-approved organizations, including trade associations, professional bodies and Government-organized groups, such as the Union Solidarity and Development Association, which rely on coercion for their membership. V. RULE OF LAW A. Administration of justice and fair trials 40. The Special Rapporteur is seriously concerned about the long-standing culture of non-accountability in many cases of human rights violations, which is deeply rooted in the structures of the regime and national institutions, seriously obstructing the rule of law and the administration of justice. 41. The Special Rapporteur regrets that the judiciary lacks independence and that it has provided a legal basis for abuses of power, arbitrary decision-making and exoneration of those responsible for human rights violations. The capacity of law enforcement institutions and the independence and impartiality of the judiciary must be addressed by the Government urgently. This situation has reinforced inequality and increased the gap between the poor and the rich. 42. Impunity is deeply entrenched and cannot be attributed to lack of institutional capacity alone. B. Political prisoners and conditions of detention 43. The Special Rapporteur is dismayed to see that, as at January 2008, 1,850 political prisoners were reported in prison. He noted that, instead of stopping unlawful arrests, the Government had accelerated them. The Special Rapporteur continues to receive credible reports on arrests of political and human rights activists, journalists and civilians in relation to the demonstrations of August and September 2007, which are covered in the Special Rapporteur’s report to the Council at its seventh session (A/HRC/7/24). According to the information received, at least 70 individuals were arrested, and some 62 of them have been detained since the Special Rapporteur’s mission in November 2007.