A/HRC/28/63 the protection of human rights defenders. Such initiatives are more than welcome, because they testify to a real will, over and above formal commitments, to promote a national or intergovernmental policy in support of human rights defenders. The Special Rapporteur calls on all States to follow this good practice and to designate within each of their diplomatic missions a focal point who is known to human rights defenders and who can translate such guidelines into reality. E. Closer cooperation with other mandate holders 80. The Special Rapporteur has been struck by the number of cases that relate not only to his own mandate but also to freedom of association or freedom of expression. Restricting freedom of assembly and association is often one of the first measures used by States to suppress human rights defenders and prevent them from promoting and protecting rights and freedoms. The recent reports submitted to the Council by the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association 2 and the numerous complaints received show that this trend is still on the increase, as the Council also noted in the preamble to its resolution 25/18. The Special Rapporteur intends to strengthen cooperation with other mandate holders and suggest new forms of collaboration. 81. Undue restrictions on freedom of expression or opinion are often imposed by States to prevent human rights defenders expressing themselves or engaging in activities to protect and promote fundamental rights and freedoms. That is one of the topics covered in the reports of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression.3 82. While preserving the independence of his mandate, the Special Rapporteur intends to extend his partnership with the mandate holders that have the mandates closest to his own, in the interests of ensuring better protection for human rights defenders and drawing the attention of the international community to the methods used by States to suppress or hinder the activities of human rights defenders. He will suggest forms of joint or concerted action with these two other mandate holders, which may eventually lead to joint activities or country visits. 83. The Special Rapporteur hopes to develop a series of joint activities, as appropriate, with other thematic mandate holders also dealing with cases of threats, attacks or violations of the rights of human rights defenders. 84. The Special Rapporteur intends, where relevant, to act more closely with country mandate holders to increase the effectiveness of the protection provided to human rights defenders in the countries for which they are responsible and will explore with them the possibility of extending the good practices of some mandate holders who include a specific section on the situation of human rights defenders in their reports. 2 3 GE.14-25280 See the annual reports on the website of the Office of the United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights, www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/AssemblyAssociation/Pages/AnnualReports.aspx. See the annual reports at the following address: www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/ FreedomOpinion/Pages/Annual.aspx. 13