A/HRC/23/52 12. On 18 February 2013, the Special Rapporteur had the opportunity to meet with the First Secretary of the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus to Ukraine on the sidelines of an event entitled “Media and human rights”, organized by the Human Rights House Foundation, in Kyiv. 13. The Special Rapporteur collaborated with several other special procedures mandate holders to transmit two allegation letters to the authorities of Belarus. 14. In the present report, the Special Rapporteur links the human rights concerns discerned with the recommendations made by the High Commissioner in her report 1 (see annex). 15. The Special Rapporteur regrets that first-hand information from sources designated by the Government was not forthcoming. 16. The present report contains a number of cases that are emblematic of the nature of the human rights violation under discussion. They do not, however, represent the full list of allegations submitted to the Special Rapporteur. C. Cooperation with United Nations human rights mechanisms and the Office of the High Commissioner 17. On 3 August 2012, Belarus submitted its eighteenth and nineteenth periodic reports to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (due in 2008);7 on 27 November 2012, it submitted a timely response to the Committee against Torture. 8 18. Belarus continued to reject a number of newly registered cases under the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, mainly invoking procedural grounds. With regard to follow-up to recommendations in its views, the Human Right Committee has to date not been satisfied by the measures taken by the State party. One reply was received in July 2012 regarding a case decided under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, and the follow-up dialogue is ongoing. 19. The visit in 2009 of the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children9 was the last visit to be undertaken by a special procedures mandate holder. Since 2009, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association and the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention have sought to make a visit and have yet to receive a response. 20. A number of joint communications were sent by special procedures mandate holders. Belarus has at times substantially responded to the issues raised. It has also alleged that special procedures mandates holders have violated the principle of non-accumulation of functions by sending joint communications, and that communications were politically motivated and unduly interfered in domestic affairs. 7 8 9 CERD/C/BLR/18-19. CAT/C/BLR/CO/4/Add.2. See A/HRC/14/32/Add.2. 5