A/HRC/44/50/Add.4 provided in its response, however, he regrets that the response represents a denial of the allegations raised. 26. In Malawi, the Special Rapporteur expressed his concern in relation to allegations of arbitrary arrest and detention of the three human rights defenders which seemed to be directly linked to the call for peaceful demonstrations on 25 March 2019 (MWI 1/2020). Furthermore, he is worried that these alleged acts might have a chilling effect on civic space since the arrests may be an attempt to delegitimise and criminalise human rights defenders for the exercise of their rights to freedom of peaceful assembly in the country. 27. In Niger, the Special Rapporteur raised his concern over allegations of arrest and detention of 8 civil society leaders for exercising their rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association as well as recurrent bans on demonstrations in Niger (NER 1/2020). He is deeply preoccupied that the majority of those prosecuted, even if they are granted provisional release, will remain with a judicial precedent, which can be reactivated and be grounds for a harsher sentence in the event of recidivism, including for the mere exercise of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly. The Special Rapporteur also expressed concern about a series of legal prohibitions on peaceful demonstrations, which state that a prior declaration must be made to all demonstrations on the public highway with the exception, however, of gatherings organized during electoral campaign. 28. On 15 March 2020, members of civil society took part in a demonstration to call for investigations into alleged misuse revealed by a Ministry of Defence audit. The request for authorisation for this demonstration had been presented to the authorities on 9 March 2020 by the NGO Tournons la Page Niger as required by a law related to demonstrations on the public highway. According to article 5 of the said law, "if the authority vested with police powers considers that the planned demonstration is likely to seriously disturb public order, it shall prohibit it by means of a reasoned order which it shall immediately notify to the signatories of the declaration at the elected domicile. According to the information received, the competent authorities did not release on this specific request for a demonstration, however, a decision of the Council of Ministers of Friday, March 13, 2020 prohibited "any gathering of a political, cultural or sporting nature likely to bring together more than 1,000 people" and this, as part of prevention measures against the coronavirus pandemic. 29. In Nigeria, the Special Rapporteur expressed his concerns over allegations of excessive use of force by Nigerian police officers against members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), during a demonstration in Abuja on 22 July 2019 (NGA 5/2019). He is further concerned that such demonstration resulted in a killing of a Deputy Commissioner of Police, a journalist and an unknown number of IMN member; and during the Ashura processions in different cities of Nigeria on 10 September 2019. In particular, he expressed serious concerns over allegations about several deaths occurred in police custody. Furthermore, there is significant cause for concern that due process and fair trial guarantees may have not been followed in some or all of the above-mentioned cases that went to court. 30. In Zimbabwe, the Special Rapporteur raised serious concern regarding allegations of arbitrary detention and ongoing judicial proceedings against human rights defenders in Zimbabwe as a result of exercising their legitimate and human rights activities (ZWE 4/2019), in particular by the alleged use of treason charges to criminalise their work defending human rights in Zimbabwe. Furthermore, he is preoccupied by their alleged arrest coinciding with their return from human rights related training abroad. He also expressed concern by the allegations of the denial of adequate medical treatment to Ms. Rita Nyampinga while she was in detention. Freedom of association 31. This report provides observations to communications sent by the Special Rapporteur concerning the right to freedom of association to Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire, during the reporting period. The Special Rapporteur thanks the Government of Côte d’Ivoire for its reply dated 21 April 2020. 32. Allegations of arbitrary arrest and detention during protests were also raised by the Special Rapporteur with the Government of Côte d’Ivoire (CIV 1/2020). The Special Rapporteur expressed deep concern about the arrest and deprivation of liberty of 18 8