A/HRC/27/69 Independent Expert raised concerns about the subsisting human rights challenges raised in his previous report, which the Government has still not addressed. 21. There have, regrettably, been many encroachments on human rights in the country that have attracted considerable international concern within the reporting period. They included fatal shootings and injuries during the September 2013 oil-subsidy demonstrations in Khartoum; the fatal shooting of a University of Khartoum student during a rally on the university campus on 10 March 2014; the arrests and detentions of opposition political leaders and youth activists between March and June 2014; the apostasy case of Meriam Ibrahim (aka Abrar al-Hadi) and its effect on the right to freedom of religion in the Sudan; confiscation of newspapers by security agents; and escalation of armed conflicts resulting in major displacements of civilians in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile States. The Independent Expert received written and oral complaints from individuals, civil society organizations, international agencies and the diplomatic community about those incidents, which he raised in his discussions with the Government of the Sudan. 22. In their discussions with the Independent Expert, representatives of possible donor States and international institutions continually highlighted the need for the Sudan to redress those human rights encroachments to encourage positive responses to requests for technical assistance and capacity-building from the international community. IV. Written communications sent to the Government of the Sudan 23. During the reporting period, the Independent Expert along with other concerned special procedures mandate holders sent four jointly signed urgent appeals (on 17 October 2013, 6 November 2013, 29 November 2013 and 14 May 2014) and two allegation letters (on 7 May and 10 July 2014) to the Government of the Sudan with respect to different complaints and information received from individuals and groups raising specific human rights concerns. 24. The Government did not respond formally to any of the above communications during the reporting period. The Independent Expert raised concerns with the Government about its non-response to those communications. Issuance of urgent appeals and allegation letters under the United Nations special procedures system enables mandate holders to verify information about specific allegations of human rights violations received, and also provides the Government with the opportunity to respond to such allegations. The Independent Expert urges the Government to be responsive to future communications as required under the special procedures system. V. Follow-up on the implementation of previous recommendations 25. As requested by the Independent Expert, in June 2014 the Government submitted to him a report listing the steps it had taken towards implementing some of his previous recommendations. The report indicated that the Government’s national plan to implement the recommendations of the universal periodic review was ongoing with support from UNDP. The Human Rights Council, in its resolution 24/28, had encouraged continued support by UNDP, but the Government indicated that the support of UNDP for its universal periodic review implementation plan was currently being threatened by depletion of its funds for that purpose. As UNDP support is indispensable for sustaining the implementation plan of the review recommendations by the Government, the Independent 7