Seeking Remedies for Torture Victims: A Handbook on the Individual Complaints Procedures of the UN Tready Bodies of a so-called “follow-up report”, analysing the actions taken on priority issues. These follow-up reports are being submitted by the Special Rapporteur twice a year in order to “allow all the parties concerned to deal with the relevant material in greater depth at each stage of the follow-up process”.510 However, the Special Rapporteur is able to submit partial reports outside of these two scheduled reporting sessions, where the situation is deemed to be particularly urgent. The HRC will then consider these recommendations and decide what further action needs to be taken. Suggestions will vary depending on the particular situation and needs of the State in question. Examples of action which may be taken include face to face discussions between the Special Rapporteur and State representatives, and bringing the due date of the next periodic report forward.511 Where a State fails to respond to the priority issues within ten months of receiving the Concluding Observations, the Secretariat will contact the State party informally. If the State party still fails to respond, the Special Rapporteur will then send a formal reminder in writing. If the State still fails to respond, the Special Rapporteur will try to arrange a meeting with a representative of that State to discuss the situation. In some circumstances a State may not respond at all; this fact is reported in the Annual Report of the HRC.512 It is important to note that NGOs are encouraged to submit reports/follow-up notes on the implementation of the HRC’s recommendations by the State party, providing reliable and credible information on remaining torture practices and challenges to the prevention of torture.513 They also play a crucial role through the dissemination of the conclusions and recommendations of the HRC at the national/local level and by advocating for their full and timely implementation with a view to trying to engage authorities on the measures of implementation. b) Follow-Up on “Views” under the Optional Protocol The follow-up to views issued under Article 5(4) of the OP is overseen by the “Special Rapporteur on Follow-up on Views”514 (referred to as the Special Rapporteur under this heading). The mandate of the Special Rapporteur is to: 510 HRC, Report of the Human Rights Committee, (2013) UN Doc. A/68/40 (Vol. I), para. 268, p. 219. 511 UN Fact Sheet No. 15, Rev. 1, “Civil and Political Rights: The Human Rights Committee”, p.14, available at: http://www.ohchr.org/english/about/publications/sheets.htm. 512 O’Flaherty, M., “The Concluding Observations of United Nations Human Rights Treaty Bodies”, (2006) 6 Human Rights Law Review 27 (2006), p. 47. 513 For further information on relevant deadlines for the submission of follow-up reports or notes, visit the website of the HRC (see Section 2.3.1 for relevant addresses and contact details). 514 The Special Rapporteur on Follow-up on Views was appointed by the HRC in July 1990. 154