A/HRC/7/45 page 2 Summary The present report is submitted in accordance with Human Rights Council decision 2/102 in which the Council requested the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue with the fulfilment of their activities, in accordance with all previous decisions adopted by the Commission on Human Rights and to update the relevant reports and studies, and in accordance with Commission resolution 2005/9. In the fulfilment of this mandate, the Secretary-General is invited to submit at the seventh session of the Council an update to his previous report,1 containing a compilation and analysis of any available information, from all appropriate sources, on alleged reprisals against private individuals or groups who have cooperated or sought to cooperate with United Nations human rights bodies or their representatives, as referred to in Commission resolution 2005/9. Chapter I of the report refers to information gathered over the period under review and brought to the attention of the mechanisms of the Council and to the Office of the High Commissioner. The replies received from two Governments to two of these communications have also been included. This chapter lays out the methodological framework according to which action for the protection of victims of reprisals was taken by the United Nations human rights bodies. It also gives an account of situations in which persons have reportedly been intimidated or suffered reprisals for having cooperated with United Nations human rights bodies, for having availed themselves of international procedures, for having provided legal assistance for this purpose and/or as relatives of victims of human rights violations. It should be noted that, in many instances, it has not been possible to record in this report additional cases due to specific security concerns or because the individuals exposed to reprisals have explicitly requested that their cases should not be raised publicly. Chapter II is devoted to concluding remarks. The report underlines the continued seriousness of such reprisals as victims suffer violations of the most fundamental human rights. The gravity of reported acts of reprisal reinforces the need for all representatives of United Nations human rights bodies in cooperation with States to continue to take urgent steps to help prevent the occurrence of such acts. 1 A/HRC/4/58.