A/HRC/4/21/Add.1 page 10 Response from the Government dated 6 October 2006 19. The Government informed the Special Rapporteur that the situation of the Muslim community in Angola is due to not having completed all the legal requirements needed to be registered as a legal institution. All religious entities must fulfil a set of requirements in order to be granted legal status. The Muslim Community was informed by the Ministry of Justice that their application did not meet the necessary requirements and therefore they had two options, which were either the fulfilment of the outstanding requirements or to appeal the decision. Moreover, the Government notes that freedom of religion or belief is recognized and protected by the Angolan constitution in Article 8. Observations 20. The Special Rapporteur is grateful for the Government’s response. She would like to refer to her framework for communications, more specifically to the international human rights norms and to the mandate practice concerning “Registration” (see above para. 1, category I. 3. h). In this regard, the Special Rapporteur wishes to emphasize that the right to freedom of religion is not limited to members of registered religious communities. As she noted in her 2005 report to the Commission on Human Rights, “registration should not be compulsory, i.e. it should not be a precondition for practicing one’s religion, but only for the acquisition of a legal personality and related benefits” (E/CN.4/2005/61, para. 58). The Special Rapporteur wishes to be advised as to why it is necessary to require 100,000 signatures in order to legalize a religious community according to the current law on registration in Angola. She also would be grateful to receive, as indicated in the response from the Government of Angola, a copy of the decision of the Ministry of Justice which informs the Muslim Community that their application did not meet the requirements. Australia Urgent appeal sent on 15 August 2006 jointly with the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers 21. The Special Rapporteurs brought to the attention of the Government of Australia information regarding Amer Haddara, Shane Kent, Fadal Sayadi, Abdullah Merhi, Ahmed Raad, Ezzit Raad, Hany Taha, Aimen Joud, Abdul Nacer Benbrika, held in Barwon Prison since November 2005, Bassam Raad, Majed Raad, Shoue Hammoud, held in Barwon Prison since March 2006 and Izzydeen Attik, arrested and remanded in Sydney in November 2005 and transferred to Barwon Prison prior to March 2006. 22. The above mentioned men are all being held at the maximum security Acacia Unit of Barwon Prison in Victoria, a facility originally designed for convicted prisoners only. They have been charged with various offences under the anti-terror provisions of the Criminal Code Act 1995 relating mostly to membership and support of a terrorist organization. None of the above mentioned persons has been charged with committing a terrorist act as such. Most of them were at some point or are still held in solitary confinement, some for up to 10 weeks. During this period they did not have access to exercise yards or recreational facilities. The others are confined to their cells between 23 and 18 hours, and during the remaining period, the possibility for contacts is severely restricted. Family visits are limited and the monthly contact visits are