A/HRC/13/39/Add.5 Uzbekistan in May 2005, where military and security forces indiscriminately shot at crowds of protesters leading to hundreds of deaths.131 I criticized the lack of investigation, prosecution and punishment of the perpetrators and other persons responsible. More recently, I received reports of excessive violence during demonstrations in the Tibet Autonomous Region and surrounding areas in China, including the killings of an unconfirmed number of people. I am further concerned with the use of excessive force against Uyghur protesters in the autonomous province of Xinjiang. 192. Violent attacks on protesters have been particularly prevalent in times of postelection turmoil. The elections in Kenya in December 2007 were followed by heavy protests, resulting in ethnic clashes and the widespread disproportionate use of force by the police, which led to many deaths.132 In Zimbabwe, following the election victory of the MDC in March 2008, police officers, soldiers and members of the ruling party Zanu PF attacked MDC supporters and journalists as a part of a reprisal campaign. I received a large number of allegations where such attacks have led to broken bones typical of “defence injuries” or even deaths.133 Similarly in Moldova, the elections of April 2009 were met with widespread and often violent protests. I received several allegations of beatings and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment upon detention during and after the protests, which were confirmed during my follow-up visit in September 2009. In Iran, where the June 2009 elections were followed by widespread protests of opposition supporters, they were met with excessive violence by the police and Government militias. I received credible allegations on the killing of at least 12 students participating in opposition protests. While the post-election protests have been largely peaceful, agents of the Revolutionary Guards, paramilitary Bassij, and State Security Force (SSF) have reportedly employed extreme force to suppress protesters by opening fire during demonstrations and using pepper spray and batons to disperse demonstrations. 193. Of particular concern are the reports of police brutality against vulnerable, disadvantaged groups and minorities. In Paraguay, I have received numerous allegations of excessive force by the police against members of indigenous communities and the military in dispersing demonstrations of campesino movements. The Committee against Torture has equally expressed its concern about reports of police brutality against vulnerable groups such as racial minorities, migrants and persons of different sexual orientation, which have not been adequately investigated.134 Furthermore, journalists covering protests often risk being targeted by police and security officers. I am particularly concerned about the harassment and targeted killings of journalists and human rights defenders in the Russian Federation, including the killings of Anna Politkovskaya135 and Natalya Estemirova,136 which occurred in relation to their denunciation of human rights abuses in Chechnya. 194. I have repeatedly stated that the use of force must be exercised with restraint and only once non-violent means have been exhausted. Law enforcement bodies shall refrain from the use of firearms, except in self-defence or defence of others from an imminent 131 132 133 134 135 136 52 OHCHR, Report of the Mission to Kyrgyzstan concerning the killings in Andijan, Uzbekistan of 13– 14 May 2005, 12 July 2005. ‘Waki report’ of the Commission of Inquiry into Post-Election Violence (CIPEV), pp. 416 et seq. speaking of “a heavy-handed Police response whereby large numbers of citizens were shot — 405 fatally — by Police”, p. 417; Report from OHCHR Fact-finding Mission to Kenya, 6–28 February 2008, http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Press/OHCHRKenyareport.pdf. /HRC/10/44/Add.4, pp. 404 et seq. CAT/CUSA/CO/2, para. 37; CAT/C/FRAU/CO/3, para. 5. A/HRC/4/33/Add.1, para 229. United Nations, “UN experts ready to assist Russia in investigating series of killings of human rights defenders”, Press release, 21 July 2009.