A/HRC/11/19* Complaints of harassment of human rights defenders must receive a prompt response and adequate measures for their safety should be taken. It further recommended the Government to adopt appropriate measures to disseminate widely and ensure full observance of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. The UDHR, as well as all other human rights standards, should in particular be made available to schools and institutions of higher education. While noting that the number of involuntarily disappearances has decreased in Chechnya, Norway remained concerned about the increased number of involuntarily disappearances in Ingushetia and the human rights conditions in North Caucasus. Norway appreciated that Russia has agreed in principle upon a visit by the Working Group on enforced or involuntarily disappearances, and recommend that this visit takes place within 2009. Norway welcomed the leadership demonstrated by Russia in the preparations for the Durban Review Conference. At the national level, Norway encouraged Russia to take further steps to fight discrimination and to make sure that perpetrators of racist and hate crimes be held duly responsible for their crimes. 62. Sweden expressed concern by the treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and transgender persons and their right to peaceful assembly and freedom from discrimination. Sweden recommended to increase their efforts and take concrete policy measures in order to promote tolerance and non-discrimination of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and transgender persons. Sweden noted reports on violent discrimination of persons belonging to ethnic minorities and non-Russian citizens. Sweden recommended to increase its efforts to ensure full respect of the rights of persons belonging to minorities and indigenous groups, including education of their children. Sweden noted reports of violence against women in Russia. It recommended to enhance the efforts to combat violence against women and to improve women’s access to safe shelter. 63. Belgium mentioned the concerns raised by the Special Rapporteur on racism, CERD and CAT on the ongoing increase of violence and murders on the basis of racism and xenophobia. The low rate of conviction of perpetrators and the absence of statistics and information on the cases brought against them are denounced by UNICEF and NGOs. It asked which actual measures that Russia has adopted or intends to adopt to better prevent and convict racist crimes and violence and what kind of results is expected in practice. Belgium made three recommendations to Russia: apply its current anti racism legislation in an effective way and take new structural measures specifically to counter discrimination; set up a national mechanism to counter the phenomena of racist violence and to gather reliable statistics on this regard; and engage in active awareness raising policy and systematically condemn racist and xenophobic violence. 64. In response to the statements made, Russia noted that the civil society contributed in the preparation process of the national report with several consultations and meetings were organised with various representatives of the civil society. 65. With regard to protection of rights of journalists the delegation noted that the law on press prohibits censorship, interference in editorial freedom, ensures freedom of sources of information and provides broad rights and guarantees to journalists, including the right to protection and defence in the court. The reason for problems in this area is that Russia has not yet completed its ongoing reforms. There are more than 4000 mass media outlets in Russia. The Ministry of Mass Media and communication monitors observance of the law on press, including monitoring that the rights of journalists are not infringed. 66. Concerning the issue of death of journalists and violence against human rights defenders the delegation informed that since 2004 the law on the state protection of participants of the criminal procedures has been enacted. This law applies to individuals, specifically, journalists who have informed that there is a threat to their lives and who need security protection. A set of extra measures has been developed in order to improve protection. In 2006-2007, 90% of crimes related to murders of journalists convictions were 14 GE.09-16259