Date Type Case No Country Mandate(s) Summary of the allegation transmitted Reply and detained four human rights defenders who were present at the launch of the report, including Mr. Yuri Dzhibladze, Mr. Vladimir Chemerys, Ms. Irina Paikacheva and Mr. Alexander Mnakatsanyan. Also on 4 May, Ms. Victoria Gromova and Mr. Lobov Zakharova were reportedly arrested. Ms. Gromova and Mr. Mnakatsanyan were reportedly presented with a written order to leave Belarus within 24 hours. On 5 May, Mr. Ales Kirkevich and Mr. Paval Vinahradau were reportedly sentenced to four years imprisonment for allegedly participating in post election mass riots. On 12 May, Mr. Siarhei Kazakou was reportedly sentenced to three years imprisonment for participating in a post-election demonstration. The Ministry of Justice reportedly filed a lawsuit before the Supreme Economic Court of Belarus seeking the closure of Nasha Niva and Narodnaya Vola, two Belarusian newspapers. On 19 April, Mr. Aleg Barshcheusky, editor-in-chief of local newspaper Vitsebsky Kurier was reportedly arrested. The situation of human rights defenders, trade unionists, legal professionals and journalists whose work has been restricted since the Presidential elections was the subject of earlier communications (see A/HRC/18/51, BLR 1/2010, BLR 1/2011, BLR 2/2011, BLR 4/2011, and BLR 5/2011). MMR 1/2011 01/06/2011 Myanmar JUA Freedom of expression; Myanmar; Torture; Alleged hunger strike by political prisoners. According to the information received, on 17 May 2011 seven female political prisoners began a hunger strike. They were reportedly protesting against the inadequacy of an amnesty which many had hoped would entail a wider release of political prisoners. Among the seven are Aye Chan, Yin Kyi, and Ohnmar Myint. On 22 May, the women prisoners were reportedly joined in their hunger strike by 17 male political prisoners who were protesting the denial of their rights under the standard regulations of the Myanmar Correctional Department. A further five political prisoners had joined the protest through a sit-in strike in their prison ward. Some of these prisoners were reportedly placed in solitary punishment cells while others were told to prepare their belongings for transfer to another prison. These men initially ended their hunger strike and protest following a meeting with the Director General of the Prisons Department. 13 political prisoners who had been sent to solitary confinement cells usually housing dogs were reportedly returned to their previous cells. These prisoners included: Nyan Lin Tun (aka) Nyan Gyi, Aung Kyaw Soe, Nyi Nyi Tun, Soe Moe Tun, Zaw Tun Naing, Zaw Latt, Aung Naing, Zin Min Shein and Min Thu. A/HRC/19/44 11