A/67/44 Human rights defenders (25) The Committee is deeply concerned by numerous and consistent allegations of serious acts of intimidation, reprisals and threats against human rights defenders and journalists, and the lack of information provided on any investigations into such allegations. The Committee notes with concern several reports on refusal to register independent nongovernmental organizations, threats and acts of criminal prosecution, arrests, raids on offices and acts of intimidation, as indicated in the oral report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights presented to the Human Rights Council in September 2011 and urgent appeals made by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders and the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression. The Committee regrets that, despite the views of by the Human Rights Committee (communication No. 1296/2004) and several appeals by the Special Rapporteurs (A/HRC/17/27/Add.1, para. 331), the Supreme Court maintained the previous decision by the Ministry of Justice not to register Human Rights Centre Viasna (arts. 2, 12 and 16). The State party should take all necessary steps to ensure the protection of human rights defenders and journalists from intimidation or violence as a result of their activities and the prompt, impartial and thorough investigation, prosecution and punishment of such acts. In particular, the Committee recommends that the State party: (a) Acknowledge the crucial role of non-governmental organizations in assisting the State party in fulfilling its obligations under the Convention, and enable them to seek and receive adequate funding to carry out their peaceful human rights activities; (b) Inform the Committee of the outcome of investigations of alleged threats against and harassment by the authorities of human rights defenders and journalists, including cases of two journalists, Irina Khalip and Andrzej Poczobut; the Chair of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, Aleh Gulak; and the President of Viasna, Ales Byalyatski; and (c) Update the status of implementation of the aforementioned decision of the Human Rights Committee that the complainants, 11 members of Viasna, are entitled to an appropriate remedy, including the re-registration of Viasna. Refugees and asylum seekers (26) While welcoming the adoption, in 2008, of the new Law on Provision of Refugee Status, Complementary and Temporary Protection to Foreign Citizens and Stateless Persons in Belarus, the Committee notes that the legislation and practice of its implementation need to be further revised in order to be fully in line with international human rights and refugee law (art. 3). The Committee recommends the State party to revise its current procedures and practices in the area of expulsion, refoulement and extradition in order to fulfil its obligations under article 3 of the Convention. The State party should guarantee better protection for asylum seekers, refugees and other persons in need of international protection, improve the quality of the State’s Refugee Status Determination procedure, and consider ratifying the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. Death penalty (27) The Committee is concerned by reports of the poor conditions of persons sentenced to death, and regarding the secrecy and arbitrariness surrounding the execution of persons 20 GE.12-44492