A/HRC/20/8 2012, the Government transmitted to OHCHR an interdepartmental plan on the implementation of universal periodic review recommendations for the period 2010-2013, and submitted its mid-term progress report on their implementation. The submission of mid-term reports is not an obligation, but is a good practice that has been encouraged by the High Commissioner. 7. Belarus has interacted with human rights treaty bodies on a regular basis over the past year, and does not have any reports long overdue. Belarus has accepted communications procedures under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. In 2011, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, the Committee against Torture and the Committee on the Rights of the Child conducted a dialogue with the Government and issued concluding observations following consideration of State party reports.1 Belarus submitted comments to the Committee against Torture on the concluding observations, including an annex on the events of 19 December 2010 and the post-electoral period. Belarus also maintains a dialogue with the Human Rights Committee, which it has provided with replies regarding specific cases. 8. In resolution 17/24, the Human Rights Council also encouraged relevant thematic special procedures mandate holders, in particular the special rapporteurs on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, on the situation of human rights defenders, on the independence of judges and lawyers, on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances as well as the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, within their respective mandates, to pay particular attention to the human rights situation in Belarus and to contribute to the report of the High Commissioner with recommendations thereon. 9. Since 19 December 2010, 12 joint communications have been sent by mandate holders. At the time of completion of the present report, only six substantive responses had been received from the Government, while procedural responses were received for six of them (requests for communications to be in Russian, allegations of breach of the code of conduct). The main concerns addressed in these communications were the situation of human rights defenders and journalists following the 2010 elections in the light of the harassment, arrests, detention and severe restrictions they had to face as a consequence of their work; the situation of former candidates in the elections and of political opponents in general, including arrests and detention; and the pattern of intimidation and interference in the discharge of the professional functions of lawyers, including proceedings against them and access to a lawyer, in connection with the demonstrations and events of December 2010. 10. Further to resolution 17/24, on 21 July 2011, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders addressed a letter to the Government of Belarus, in which she reiterated her request to the Government to extend an invitation to her to carry out an official visit. In addition, on 26 August 2011, the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment sent another request for a country visit to the Government. Also, in September 2011, the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association sent a country visit request. To date, no response has been received to these requests. 1 CEDAW/C/BLR/CO/7, CAT/C/BLR/CO/4, CRC/C/BLR/CO/3-4, CRC/C/OPSC/BLR/CO/1, CRC/C/OPAC/BLR/CO/1. 5