A/HRC/17/2 implemented and that Rwanda had accepted 63 of the 73 recommendations that had been made. Uganda appreciated Rwanda’s explanations for rejecting some recommendations. It noted with appreciation Rwanda’s measures to implement its decision to protect the rights of the Batwa community. Uganda encouraged Rwanda to give priority to the recommendation to provide universal basic education by 2015, and welcomed Rwanda’s voluntary commitments. 3. General comments made by other relevant stakeholders 287. Human Rights Watch welcomed Rwanda’s undertakings to strengthen the independence of the judiciary, to invite the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers and to modify the registration of non-governmental organizations. It encouraged Rwanda to allow journalists and political parties to carry out their activities in safety. It also encouraged Rwanda to amend the 2008 Genocide Ideology Law and the 2009 Media Law. Human Rights Watch expressed concern at the absence of fair trial safeguards in the Gacaca courts, and regretted that the national human rights commission had sometimes undermined the work of non-governmental organizations. 288. Amnesty International urged Rwanda to announce a time frame for revising the Genocide Ideology Law and the Media Law, and encouraged Rwanda to amend the Sectarianism Law. It expressed concern that the Genocide Ideology Law had been used to prosecute Government critics, and urged Rwanda to review cases of politicians and journalists who had been convicted and sentenced to terms of imprisonment. Amnesty International also urged Rwanda to carry out investigations on reports of harassment to journalists. It regretted Rwanda’s rejection of the recommendation to investigate cases of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances. 289. The Society for Threatened People expressed concern at Rwanda’s non-ratification of ILO Convention No. 169. The refusal to recognize the Batwa as a minority or indigenous had left them with no legal status and prevented them from actively engaging in political activities at the national level. It highlighted the severity of marginalization and discrimination faced by the Batwa, which had sidelined them in the preparation, planning and implementation of Government programmes that provide social welfare and development services. It stated that the speed at which the “Bye-bye Nyakatsi” campaign has been conducted had left many hundreds of families homeless. It called on Rwanda to reconsider its decision not to support the recommendation to intensify measures to improve the situation of minority groups and indigenous people. 290. The Cairo Institute for Human Rights jointly with Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, Front Line Defenders and the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Network commended Rwanda for the acceptance of a majority of the recommendations, especially those relating to human rights defenders. It encouraged Rwanda to implement these recommendations and to recognize the legitimacy of the work of human rights defenders. It welcomed the planned changes to the registration process for nongovernmental organizations and indicated that ongoing revision of the Media Law was a positive step. It was concerned at the use of defamation and other criminal charges to obstruct freedom of expression. It commended Rwanda for its openness to receiving visits by special procedures mandate holders. 291. Rencontre africaine pour la défense des droits de l’homme welcomed the efforts made by Rwanda in the economic and social field, as well as its institutional and political reforms, which had ensured that the country was a world leader in terms of the number of women representatives in Parliament. Rwanda had abolished the death penalty and ratified the second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It urged Rwanda to revise its 2009 Law to put an end to the restrictions imposed on human GE.12-13630 127