Date Type Case No Country Mandate(s) Summary of the allegation transmitted Reply OTH 10/2013 18/11/2013 Other AL Indigenous peoples; Letter concerning recent developments regarding the nomination and declaration of World Heritage sites by the World Heritage Committee. In this letter, the Special Rapporteur notes that the World Heritage Committee will hold a discussion on potential reforms to site nomination criteria and the Advisory Bodies’ evaluation process at its next annual session. According to the information received, reform efforts have arisen mainly due to the difficulties in the nomination process of the Pimachiowin Aki site in Canada, an indigenous-led nomination developed through a collaborative process between the Government of Canada and First Nations. The site was nominated as “mixed property” for both, its cultural and natural significance under the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention. However, the World Heritage Committee reportedly deferred the Pimachiowin Aki nomination in large part because the Advisory Bodies were unable to concurrently consider natural and cultural values under the present criteria and evaluation processes. 04/12/2013 JPN 1/2013 19/11/2013 Japan JUA Freedom of expression; Health; Allegations concerning the draft Special Secrets Bill which could seriously restrict the right to freedom of opinion and expression in Japan. According to the information received, the Lower House of the Japanese Parliament was at the time of writing deliberating a bill, approved by the Cabinet in October 2013. The draft Bill reportedly includes a number of provisions that may not be in line with international human rights standards on freedom of opinion and expression and with Japan’s Constitution, which recognizes the right to access information as part of the right to freedom of expression as a fundamental right. It is alleged that, if enacted, the Bill would provide very broad grounds for secrecy, limited oversight on decisions to classify matters as state secrets, and potential penalization of disclosure of confidential information including by whistleblowers and the press. 31/01/2014 31/01/2014 31/01/2014 31/01/2014 A/HRC/25/74 127