A/78/195 The Special Rapporteur is also expected to conduct an official visit to Tajikistan from 9 to 20 October 2023. A country visit to the Russian Fed eration planned for 2022 did not come about. B. Communications 6. In 2022, a total of 70 communications were sent by the Special Rapporteur on minority issues. Of those, 51 were letters of allegation, 13 were urgent appeals and 6 were other letters of concern relating to bills, legislation, policies or practices that did not comply with international human rights law and standards. Of those 70 communications sent, all were sent jointly with other special procedures mandate holders and 11 were led by the Special Rapporteur on minority issues. With regard to the geographical distribution, 4 of the communications were sent to African States, 39 to Asia-Pacific States, 4 to Eastern European States, 2 to Latin America and Caribbean States, 21 to Western Europe and other States and 8 to others. 7. From 1 January to 12 May 2023, a total of 11 communications were sent by the Special Rapporteur. Of those, six were letters of allegation, three were urgent appeals and two were other letters of concern relating to bills, legislation, policies or practices that did not comply with international human rights law and standards. Of those 11 communications, 6 were sent jointly with other special procedures mandate holders and 5 were led by the Special Rapporteur on minority issues. C. Forum on Minority Issues and regional forums 8. The fifteenth session of the Forum on Minority Issues was held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva on 1 and 2 December 2022 on the theme “Review, rethink, reform: thirtieth anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities” after a three year hiatus, though with some measures in place to accommodate online interventions. The number of registered participants surged in 2022, almost reaching the level of participation experienced prior to the coronavirus disease (COVID -19) pandemic, with 580 participants from 79 countries, which was an indication of the high level of interest in the Forum itself and the importance of addressing minority issues. A complete report on the session of the Forum and the resulting recommendations was presented to the Human Rights Council at its fifty -second session, held in 2023 (A/HRC/52/71). 9. The Special Rapporteur also convened four regional forums in 2022 (the Americas regional forum, the Africa and the Middle East regional forum, the AsiaPacific regional forum and the Europe and Central Asia regional forum), in addition to guiding the annual session of the Forum on Minority Issues. 10. The Forum on Minority Issues itself was established in 2007 by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 6/15, and its important role was reaffirmed in 2012 in Council resolution 19/23. The Forum is mandated to provide a platform for promoting dialogue and cooperation on issues pertaining to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, and to provide thematic contributions and expertise to the work of the Special Rapporteur. 4/21 23-15818