A/HRC/18/19 2. Bangladesh 25. On 14 March 2011, two special procedures mandate holders sent an urgent appeal9 regarding the situation of the Dhaka-based human rights organization Odhikar and, in particular, of Adilur Rahman Khan, its Secretary Advocate. 26. Since October 2010, the activities of Odhikar and, in particular, of the Secretary Advocate, Mr. Rahman Khan, have been increasingly monitored by the Bangladeshi authorities. The increased surveillance of Odhikar allegedly follows the submission by the organization of various project proposals to the national NGO Affairs Bureau, an office that regulates activities of non-governmental organizations in Bangladesh. It is reported that the content of the proposals did not please the authorities. Odhikar often works in close contact with the United Nations and other international human rights organizations and bodies. In 2008, Odhikar submitted information to OHCHR in the context of the universal periodic review of Bangladesh by the Human Rights Council, which took place in February 2009, and has since featured in several international human rights reports. According to the information received, after the engagement with the universal periodic review process, Odhikar was threatened and harassed by Government officials of different levels, and authorities increased the monitoring of its activities. 27. At the time of completion of the present report, the Government of Bangladesh had sent an acknowledgement of receipt of the communication sent by the special rapporteurs. 3. Belarus 28. On 28 January 2011, several special procedures mandate holders sent an urgent appeal10 regarding allegations that the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, an independent, non-political, non-profit public association that works to promote and protect human rights, had been requested by the Ministry of Justice to submit to the Ministry a copy of the letter it had addressed to the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers. 29. On 12 January 2011, the Committee declared on its website that it had sent a letter to the Special Rapporteur. Immediately afterwards, the head of department of non-commercial organizations of the Ministry of Justice reportedly requested the Committee to provide him with the text of the letter within 30 minutes. On the same day, a statement was issued by the Ministry of Justice accusing the Committee of distorting information contained in reports issued by the Ministry regarding the demonstrations. The Ministry also alleged that the information sent by the Committee to international organizations depicted a distorted view of the current state of affairs in the country and that such conduct was tantamount to a violation of domestic legislation governing non-governmental organizations. 30. On 1 February 2011, the Government of Belarus sent a response to the communication, but did not provide information relating to the situation of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee. 4. China 31. On 30 April 2010, several special procedures mandate holders sent an urgent appeal11 regarding Cao Du, the founder and Director of the Mongol Yurt Association, an organization promoting the rights of Mongolian people in China. 32. Mr. Du is a grantee of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations, a programme administered by OHCHR. As such, Mr. Du was granted travel 9 A/HRC/17/27/Add.1, paras. 238-244. Ibid., paras. 279-289. 11 A/HRC/15/37/Add.1, paras. 169-173. 10 7