A/HRC/15/57 22. On a positive note, UNAMID reported that it has had access to all Government operated prisons in Darfur following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between UNAMID and the Government of the Sudan prisons authority on 21 February 2010. 23. The Convention against Torture has not been ratified by the Sudan (recommendation 1.4.5). 5. Protection of witnesses and victims 24. The Government has not taken adequate measures to ensure that human rights monitors have full and unimpeded access to witnesses and victims of human rights violations, and that victims and witnesses are not subject to reprisals or harassment for cooperating with human rights monitors. In addition, no concrete information was provided by the Government on measures taken to protect witnesses and victims against violence, reprisals and harassment by third parties. On the contrary, freedom of movement of human rights monitors and their access to victims and witnesses were impeded by numerous restrictions imposed by Government officials and armed movements. In places like South Darfur, State officials denied access to some places, claiming that they had to be informed in advance of UNAMID movements. Access to certain internally displaced camps was also occasionally denied to UNAMID by Government officials. In addition, the access of human rights monitors to victims and witnesses continues to be affected by the increasing incidence of carjacking and banditry targeting United Nations personnel and assets. 25. On 8 June 2009, the National Assembly passed the Press and Printed Materials Act, which provides that no restrictions should be imposed on press publications unless prescribed by law to protect national security, public order and health. It also provides for the right of access to information in accordance with the law and also prohibits the confiscation and closing down of newspapers. It sets up a national press council in which journalists form the majority of members. In September 2009, the President of the Republic issued a decree lifting pre-censorship of print media. Despite these improvements, concerns remain about the extensive powers conferred on the press supervisory body (recommendation 1.6.2). 26. In spite of the recent legislative and institutional reforms, human rights defenders working on Darfur issues continue to be subjected to intimidation and harassment by the NISS, and in some cases arbitrary arrests. Serious concerns remain regarding the tightening of freedom of expression and a backlash against human rights defenders since the indictment of the President of the Sudan by the International Criminal Court in March 2009. As a consequence, there continues to be limited activity among human rights defenders and many activists have remained outside of the Sudan for fear of harassment and arrest should they return. The period immediately leading up to the elections in April 2010 saw an easing of restrictions on the freedom of expression, but those restrictions were tightened again after the elections. B. 1. Humanitarian access Protection of humanitarian workers from harassment and attack 27. During the reporting period, attacks were persistently made against humanitarian workers and UNAMID staff, and incidents of abduction of international aid workers and armed ambushes against UNAMID peacekeepers were also witnessed. A total of 111 United Nations vehicles were carjacked in 2009. These incidents underscore the extremely difficult and volatile conditions in which UNAMID and other actors on the ground are 9