A/HRC/18/23 (b) Asia-Pacific 24. Perpetrators of serious crimes under international law may not benefit from measures such as amnesty until the State has met its obligations to ensure that those responsible are prosecuted, tried and duly punished. In 2009, a broad amnesty law which appears to preclude ex officio investigations and prosecutions by the State of perpetrators of serious international crimes was published in the Official Gazette of Afghanistan. UNAMA, the United Nations Country Team, civil society and international organizations objected to the adoption of this legislation which contravenes Afghanistan’s international legal obligations. 25. Since June 2007, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) has been trying “senior leaders and those most responsible” for the atrocities committed during the period of Khmer Rouge rule from 1975 to 1979. As part of OHCHR commitment to help maximize the impact of hybrid tribunals internationally, OHCHR Cambodia has been working closely with the ECCC, the Royal Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia and civil society to facilitate a legacy program aimed at ensuring that the skills, knowledge and practices of the tribunal can positively impact on the practice of criminal justice domestically, through concrete initiatives which incorporate the jurisprudence of the Court. 26. OHCHR Nepal has provided technical support to authorities investigating highprofile cases related to the conflict period and has monitored judicial developments. OHCHR Nepal has also been documenting and publicizing evidence of other violations, advocating for their investigation and requesting cooperation from relevant authorities. Furthermore, OHCHR Nepal provides technical assistance towards strengthening the legal framework for prosecutions of serious human rights violations. It published a legal opinion underlying the necessity for the regular criminal justice system to continue investigation and prosecution of conflict-related cases regardless of the commitment to establish transitional justice mechanisms. The Office has also supported exhumations and conducted an assessment with a view to strengthening victim and witness protection. 27. As of March 2011, investigations of all cases indentified by the Independent Special Commission of Inquiry for Timor-Leste have been opened by the Office of the Public Prosecutor. Seven trials have been completed, one indictment is pending trial, four cases have been archived and 12 cases are under active investigation. The Human Rights Transitional Justice Section (HRTJS) of the United Nations Integrated Mission in TimorLeste (UNMIT) has continued to assist the Office of the Prosecutor General in implementing the recommendations of the commission. (c) Latin America and the Caribbean 28. In March 2011, OHCHR convened a seminar in Argentina on the protection of witnesses of serious human rights violations. Representatives of national and provincial authorities, witness protection agencies, civil society, as well as judges and prosecutors engaged in discussions on current challenges in the area of witness protection and on practical measures to improve the protection framework in Argentina. 29. Under the Justice and Peace Law of Colombia, 4,484 out of approximately 53,000 demobilized persons were being processed as of November 2010. However, almost six years since the adoption of the Law, there has only been one partial ruling against two exparamilitaries who received the benefit of a reduced conviction. OHCHR has recommended that efforts be focused on the most serious violations at the higher level of responsibility. Based on the revelations made by the persons processed, the Supreme Court commenced criminal investigations against Congressional members for alleged links with illegal organizations. As of December 2010, the Supreme Court had decided 28 cases out of 120 9