A/HRC/32/48 76. The presidential decree on funding thus maintains a situation already addressed during the first universal periodic review of Belarus, when States recommended that it strengthen cooperation between the Government and civil society organizations in promoting and protecting human rights (A/HRC/15/16, para. 97.40), and ensure that the authorities allow and facilitate the registration of non-governmental organizations and opposition parties (ibid., para. 98.30). In 2015, the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review reported that no progress had been made with regard to those recommendations (A/HRC/30/3, para. 129.71 – 129.88). 77. The Committee on the Rights of the Child, in 2011, concluded that Belarus should review its laws, regulations and judicial and administrative practices to facilitate the registration and operation of non-governmental organizations and decriminalize membership in organizations that were unregistered (CRC/C//BLR/CO/3-4). 78. Similarly, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination recommended in 2013 that the Government of Belarus should consult and expand its dialogue with civil society organizations working in the area of human rights protection, in particular in combating racial discrimination (CERD/C/BLR/CO/18-19, para. 21). 79. In 2014, the Special Rapporteur pointed out the need for the authorities of Belarus to remove all legal and practical obstacles to international cooperation of civil society striving to strengthen the enjoyment of the liberties provided for in international treaties and documents, including the obstacles that block, hinder, put conditions on and in particular that criminalize or financially penalize funding help from peer organizations abroad (A/HRC/26/44, para. 139 (o)), and cease the practice of giving preferential treatment to certain non-governmental organizations over others, and create a safe and enabling environment for civil society (A/69/307, para. 93 (l)). F. Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment 80. The Special Rapporteur notes that allegations of torture continued to be brought to his attention. As in past years, and despite the repeated recommendations by the United Nations human rights bodies, such allegations rarely lead to any criminal investigation against perpetrators. The authorities still do not allow access to the penitentiary system to independent investigators or monitors. 81. The Special Rapporteur was deeply disturbed by reports on 30 March 2016 on the death of Yahor Pratasenia, aged 20. In January 2016, Mr. Pratasenia had attempted to take his life in Zhodzina jail in protest against torture and abuse during interrogations and his detention. He had been arrested by the General Directorate for Drug Control and Human Trafficking in April 2015, and repeatedly subjected to physical abuse during his detention. On 28 December 2015, Mr. Pratasenia was sentenced to 14 years of imprisonment. The Special Rapporteur is concerned that no action was taken by the prison authorities to prevent the suicide attempts of the detainee. 82. The Special Rapporteur is concerned by reports about the regular use of violence by police officers against football fans. On 3 May 2015, police officers in Baranavichy allegedly severely beat football fans, 56 of whom were detained and taken to the police department. They were then forced to write statements that they had no claims against the police. 83. On 13 October 2015, blogger Viktar Nikitsenka was detained and severely beaten by security forces in Minsk for having taken a photograph with a homemade poster stating 14