A/HRC/20/17 from knowing the extent of atrocities unfolding on the ground, by refusing access to foreign journalists. 20. On 10 October 2011, the Special Rapporteur urged the Government of Thailand to hold broad-based public consultations to amend its criminal laws on lèse majesté primarily section 112 of the Thai penal code and the 2007 Computer Crimes Act, which provides for imprisonment of up to fifteen years and five years respectively. He underscored that the threat of a long prison sentence and vagueness of what kinds of expression constitute defamation, insult, or threat to the monarchy encourage self-censorship and stifle important debates on matters of public interest, and that the recent spike in lèse majesté cases pursued by the police and the courts shows the urgency to amend them. He also expressed continuing concern at the blocking of hundreds of thousands of websites that contain commentary on the Thai monarchy. 21. On 14 October 2011, the Special Rapporteur, together with other mandate holders, warned that the current public draft of the Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations in Cambodia, if adopted, risks breaching fundamental rights, including the right to freedom of opinion and expression of human rights defenders. Noting the statement by the Ambassador of Cambodia to the Human Rights Council to undertake further consultations, the mandate holders called on the Government of Cambodia to review the draft law in open and meaningful discussions with associations and NGOs. 22. On 1 November 2011, the Special Rapporteur, together with other mandate holders, voiced grave concern over reports of restrictions of fundamental rights of monks, who have been calling for religious freedom in and around the area of the Tibetan Buddhist Kirsti monastery in Sichuan province, China. Noting that the tension in the area has escalated since March 2011, he expressed deep concern about allegations of restrictions to Internet access and mobile messaging services within Aba Country, as well as lack of access to the region by journalists. The mandate holders urged the Government to fully respect and uphold the rights of minorities, cease any restrictive practices, and refrain from use of any violence or intimidation. 23. On 21 November 2011, the Special Rapporteur, together with other mandate holders, expressed alarm at the degree of violence and the deteriorating situation in Egypt ahead of parliamentary elections planned for 28 November 2011. The Special Rapporteur urged the Government to ensure that diverse views and opinions, including criticism of authorities, can be expressed peacefully by all. 24. On 24 November 2011, the Special Rapporteur, in a joint press release, warned that the new legislative amendments adopted by the National Assembly of Belarus may severely and arbitrarily restrict the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, association, and expression. The mandate holders noted that the amendments to various laws in Belarus can worsen the climate of fear and intimidation in the country, and that such amendments may be linked to the situation of Ales Bialiatski, President of the Viasna human rights centre, and the current legal proceedings against him for alleged tax evasion. 25. On 7 December 2011, the Special Rapporteur, together with other mandate holders, warned that a new Peaceful Assembly Bill in Malaysia may arbitrarily and disproportionally restrict the right to assemble peacefully. They expressed concern at restrictions ranging from a ban on street protests and the prohibition on non-citizens and citizens under 21 years of age to assembly peacefully to conditional access for media to public gatherings. 26. On 23 December 2011, the Special Rapporteur, together with other mandate holders, denounced the continued secret detention of Gao Zhisheng, a prominent Chinese human rights lawyer who was arbitrarily arrested in 2006 in China. They expressed concern that a 6