E/CN.4/2004/63 page 22 Table 7 Evolution of responses to urgent appeals Year 1995 1996 Number of urgent Responses appeals and States concerned (in parenthesis) 6 (5) Bangladesh (1) 4 (2) Egypt (2) 1997 1998 1999 4 (4) 2 (2) 4 (2) 2000 2001 2 (2) 1 (1) 2002 2 (1) 2003 2004 3 (2) 0 Percentage 16.66 50 China (1), United Arab Emirates (1) China (1), United Arab Emirates (1) Islamic Republic of Iran (2) 50 100 50 (75 taking into account late response from the Sudan received in 2001) Islamic Republic of Iran (1), Iraq (1) 100 Islamic Republic of Iran (1) + late response 100 from the Sudan to one 1999 urgent appeal Response from the Permanent Mission of 50 if one considers the Afghanistan to the United Nations at response from the Permanent Geneva to one urgent appeal/No response Mission of Afghanistan. from the Taliban Otherwise 0 if one considers the response of the Taliban China (1) 33.33 0 108. In all, 705 communications have been sent to 127 States (of the 189 United Nations Member States) since the Special Rapporteur took up his post. Of this total, 10 States were sent 28 urgent appeals. Analysis of communications 109. The exponential increase in the number of communications (see table 1) is on a par with the increase in the number of States receiving communications. A considerable increase in the number of States concerned by several communications during a single reporting period should also be noted. This practice is by no means selective in respect of a given State, but reflects particularly critical situations or cases in a given country. Its expansion has been rapid since 2000 since it has also become a means for regular rather than sporadic follow-up to serious problems in a particular State. 110. The number of urgent appeals has remained limited in accordance with the objective underpinning the introduction in 1994 in the mandate of this new type of communication, representing a more rapid and efficient response to very serious situations and cases. Recourse to this procedure can only produce the expected effects insofar as it continues to be an exception justified by imminent and serious threats to the life, health or safety of persons. Making it another type of procedure would be tantamount to marginalizing it and to depriving the procedures available in general to special rapporteurs of some of their credibility.