A/HRC/33/65 office documents. Following the raid, passports of human rights defenders who were members of the Centre were confiscated. 27. Between 3 and 13 March 2016, human rights defenders and activists associated with the Centre were summoned to the office of the National Intelligence and Security Service in Khartoum, where they were interrogated. All the individuals summoned were questioned about the activities of the organization and their relationship with the Al-Khatim Adlan Centre for Enlightenment and Human Development, an organization that was forcibly shut down by the Government in 2012. Subsequent to the raid, the Director and another human rights defender were summoned and charged with criminal offences. 28. In addition, in March 2016, four representatives of Sudanese civil society1 were intercepted by security officials at the Khartoum International Airport on their way to Geneva, where they were to participate in the pre-session meetings of the universal periodic review of the Sudan. After checking in their luggage and presenting their passports at the immigration desk, they were stopped and informed of travel bans in place against them. Their passports were confiscated and they were told to report to the Information and Inquiry Section at National Intelligence and Security Service headquarters for further information. This effectively prevented them from travelling to Geneva and attending the pre-session meetings of the review. 29. While the Independent Expert welcomed the decision of the Sudanese authorities to return the passports to the human rights defenders, he expressed concern about the allegations that the travel bans against Messrs. Elshowaya and Shaddad were in reprisal for their cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights, including the universal periodic review. 30. The Independent Expert also expressed concern about the travel bans against Messrs. Salih and Yousif, which appeared to be in retaliation for their human rights activities and designed to curtail the legitimate exercise of their right to freedom of opinion and expression. 31. In spite of the ongoing national dialogue, the Independent Expert noted a lack of meaningful dialogue between the Government and civil society actors for the promotion and protection of human rights in the Sudan. The Independent Expert emphasized that the work of human rights defenders was vital and that measures to intimidate or harass them because of their work, including their involvement with the universal periodic review process, were of serious concern. He stressed the need for the Government to allow human rights defenders to carry out their activities in an open, safe and secure environment. D. Restrictions on freedom of religion 32. The Independent Expert received information about incidents of arrest and restrictions on freedom of religion or belief in the Sudan. On 2 and 3 November 2015, 27 Sudanese nationals, including 3 minors, were arrested in Khartoum and charged with apostasy. According to information received, the individuals, who were members of the Hausa ethnic group, followed an interpretation of Islam that is at variance with the dominant denomination supported by the Government of the Sudan. 1 These were Sawsan Hassan Elshowaya, Director of the Asmaa Society for Development, Muawia Shaddad, President of Human Rights and Legal Aid Network, Faisal Mohamed Salih, journalist and human rights defender, and Siddig Yousif, President of the Sudanese Solidarity Committee. 7