A/HRC/4/21/Add.1 page 44 general, all publications issued by minorities, the Special Rapporteur endorses the recommendations of Mr. Abid Hussain, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, who considers that: “Any prior restraint on freedom of expression carries with it a heavy presumption of invalidity under international human rights law. Any institutionalization of such restraint adds further weight to this presumption. In his opinion, the protection of the right of freedom of opinion and expression and the right to seek, receive and impart information would be better served, not by routinely submitting specific types of expression to prior scrutiny, as is currently the case, but rather by initiating action after publication, if and when required” (E/CN.4/1996/39/Add.1, para. 40).” 180. The Special Rapporteur reminds the Government that she would like to visit the country to analyze the progress that has been made further to her predecessor’s visit and recommendations. Bearing in mind that the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has issued a standing invitation to the Special Procedures assumed by the Human Rights Council and that it had extended an invitation to her predecessor, the Special Rapporteur reiterates that she would be grateful to receive dates on which she could conduct a follow-up visit. Urgent appeal sent on 16 February 2006 181. The Special Rapporteur received information that on 29 October 2005, the Chairman of the Command Headquarters of the Armed Forces addressed a letter to a number of Governmental agencies, including the Ministry of Information, the Commander of the Revolutionary Guard, the Commander of the Basij Resistance Forces of the Revolutionary Guard, the Commander of the Police Force and the Deputy of its Intelligence Branch and the Chief Commander of the Army. The letter, which is stamped “highly confidential” and “urgent/immediate”, states that on the basis of the instructions of the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, the Command Headquarters of the Armed Forces “has been given the mission to acquire a comprehensive and complete report of all the activities of members of the Bahá’í Faith […] for the purpose of identifying all the individuals”. The letter asks the recipients “to, in a highly confidential manner, collect any and all information about the above-mentioned activities of these individuals”. 182. There is particular concern as this letter comes at a time of an increasing media campaign against members of the Bahá’í faith, with a series of radio programmes and articles reportedly provoking mistrust of, and hostility towards, members of the Bahá’í faith. Furthermore, the Special Rapporteur has received reports that Bahá’í households have begun to receive notes, CDs, tracts and text messages on their mobile phones, all of which are aimed at refuting the claims of the Bahá’í Faith. The Special Rapporteur has also received reports that the Iranian Association of Chambers of Commerce (Ettehadiyeye Asnaf) is compiling a list of Bahá’ís in every type of trade and employment. All these events coincide with the re-emergence of the Hojjatieh society, which has the explicit goal of eradicating the Bahá’í Faith. 183. On 20 March 2006, the Special Rapporteur issued a press release concerning these allegations. The Special Rapporteur indicated that she is “apprehensive about the initiative to monitor the activities of individuals merely because they adhere to a religion that differs from the state religion. She considers that such monitoring constitutes an impermissible and unacceptable interference with the rights of members of religious minorities. She also expresses concern that the information gained as a result of such monitoring will be used as a basis for the increased