Date Type Case No Country Mandate(s) Summary of the allegation transmitted Reply MDV 5/2013 11/10/2013 Maldives AL Independence of judges and lawyers; Alleged interferences with, and pressure on, the independence of lower courts and tribunals in the Maldives. According to the information received, the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives has developed a court/trial monitoring programme for judges and magistrates. The aim of the two-day training programme is to assess the extent to which the court system in the Maldives complies with international standards relating to the administration of justice. On 12 September, the Supreme Court’s Judges Council allegedly barred the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives from conducting the training programme, since monitoring the administration of justice by national courts and tribunals would go beyond the mandate of the Commission. A number of judges and magistrates of lower courts and tribunals, who had confirmed their attendance, informed the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives that they were asked by the Supreme Court not to attend the training programme. LAO 1/2013 11/10/2013 République JAL Démocratique Populaire Lao Freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; Human rights defenders; Alleged violation of the right to freedom of association. According to the information 06/12/2013 received, the draft Guidelines for the implementation of the Prime Minister’s Decree on International Non-Governmental Organisations, contains several provisions that, if adopted without further changes, may seriously compromise the enjoyment of the right to freedom of association in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. MDV 3/2013 14/10/2013 Maldives AL Freedom of expression; Alleged arson attack on a TV channel. According to the information received, on 7 October 2013, around 4.45 a.m., the studio of the Raajje TV was set on fire by at least six heavily armed gunmen. Consequently, all broadcast equipment, transmission and computer systems were destroyed. The Raajje TV channel is known to be one of the most popular TV stations in the Maldives, and this arson attack is reportedly seen as an attempt to silence its broadcast services. A/HRC/25/74 107