A/HRC/38/17 concerned about the protection of freedom of expression and urged Serbia to step up enforcement of its own guarantees for freedom of expression. 67. The United States of America thanked Serbia for its efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to refugees and asylum seekers. It was concerned about threats and violence targeting independent journalists and civil society activists. It remained concerned by the lack of progress in bringing to justice the perpetrators of the 1999 murders of the Bytyqi brothers. 68. Uruguay noted the actions taken by Serbia to combat crimes motivated by prejudice. Uruguay expressed concern that corporal punishment was permitted in the home and in public institutions. 69. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela recognized the adoption of the new legal framework aimed at combating all forms of discrimination in Serbia. It noted that the Action Plan for the Realization of the Rights of National Minorities provided greater opportunities for the participation of minorities in the work of the Government. 70. Viet Nam noted that Serbia had put in place numerous measures to promote and protect human rights, particularly for women and children, persons with disabilities and elderly persons. Viet Nam welcomed the achievements of Serbia in the field of gender equality. 71. Afghanistan commended the action taken by Serbia towards gender equality and the efforts of the Coordination Body for Gender Equality to improve the status of women. 72. Albania commended Serbia for its ratification, since the second review cycle, of significant international human rights instruments, including the Istanbul Convention. Albania welcomed the reform of the domestic legal framework with a view to strengthening institutional capacities and media freedom and improving respect for human rights. 73. Algeria noted that Serbia had ratified several regional legal instruments and harmonized its domestic law with international human rights treaties. Algeria welcomed the measures adopted by Serbia within the framework of its 2016 national human rights plan and the establishment of the Council for the Implementation of the Recommendations of the United Nations Human Rights Mechanisms. 74. The delegation of Serbia, responding to some of the statements that had been made, said that the independent State bodies had been fully supported politically and financially from the national budget between the two review cycles. In fact, they had benefited significantly from increased funding. 75. Regarding the transparency of media ownership, a media registry has been established under the Law on Public Information and Media. Civil society organizations participated in the formulation and amendment of provisions of the Constitution and in public debates. 76. The delegation stated that Serbia had adopted the National Strategy for the Prosecution of War Crimes and cooperated diligently with the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, the legal successor to the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Regarding victims’ right to compensation, Serbia planned to draft a national strategy on improving the rights of victims of crime. 77. Legislative solutions to uphold the rights of national minorities had been implemented based on the laws on employment in public service and on employees in autonomous provinces and local self-government units. There were 21 national minority councils active in Serbia and over 300 million dinars (around €2.5 million) were allocated annually to their work from the budget of Serbia and the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. 78. The delegation stated that the Law on Public Assembly stipulated that public gatherings could be enjoyed freely and that everyone had the right to organize a gathering and to participate in it, in accordance with that law. Assembly was not allowed, however, in a place where, due to the characteristics of the site itself or its special purpose, it would 8