A/HRC/10/19 page 12 freedom of expression, association and assembly. In his report submitted to the General Assembly (A/63/341), the Special Rapporteur indicated several domestic laws that restrict the principles of freedom of association and assembly, most importantly the Unlawful Association Act, the State Protection Act, and sections 143, 145, 152, 505, 505 (b) and 295 (A) of the Penal Code. These laws continue to be used to restrict freedom of expression and association, most notably during the sentencing of hundreds of political activists since August 2008 for their participation in the peaceful demonstrations of 2007. With regard to freedom of opinion and expression, the Television and Video Law (1985), the Motion Picture Law (1996), the Computer Science Development Law (1996), the Electronic Communication Law and the Printers and Publishers Registration Act (1962) are invoked to censor the media. 48. Furthermore, the Special Rapporteur received information that restrictions continue to be imposed on the right to form trade unions. Several individuals who were associated with trade unions, including the banned Federation of Trade Unions of Burma, have been detained, convicted and sentenced to long terms in prison. 49. The Special Rapporteur has also received information that several journalists have been convicted on the basis of the Electronic Act and the Video Act. He moreover remains concerned about restrictions on the media, including censorship of newspapers, the Internet and other sources of information, and the threatening of journalists with heavy prison sentences under the above-mentioned laws. 50. It is important to note that these laws are in contravention of international law, inter alia, articles 19 and 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, articles 13 and 15 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child as well as the ILO Convention concerning Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise (Convention No. 87) to which Myanmar is a party, and which explicitly calls upon Governments to ensure the full enjoyment of freedom of expression and association. As a State party to these conventions and a State Member of the United Nations, the Government of Myanmar should ensure compliance of domestic laws with its international obligations. 51. On the basis of a discussion held with the Attorney General regarding the implementation of the first core human rights element, the Special Rapporteur strongly encourages the Government to complete the process of reviewing and amending the domestic laws that do not comply with international standards and provisions relative to human rights of the new Constitution, in order to allow for the full enjoyment of the freedom of opinion and expression, as well as of association and assembly, including assuring a free and independent media. 52. In the context of the elections in 2010, fundamental rights also include freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media, regardless of frontiers. Genuine multiparty elections imply informed and educated voters, the forming and proper registration of political parties, the ability of political parties to carry out campaign activities, including through all available means of media and the opening of offices in localities across the country, and the existence of independent media and non-governmental groups. None of this would be possible without the fundamental rights of freedom of opinion and expression, assembly and association.