A/HRC/46/44 the peace process, as well as the need to include women and other vulnerable groups in decision-making. I. Religious minorities In its guidance on COVID-19 and minority rights, OHCHR recommended, among the key actions for States and other stakeholders, guaranteeing inclusive dialogue that would help ensure that minority communities implemented and adhered to required public health measures voluntarily. This included analysing how cultural and religious practices may be adapted in response to COVID-19 preventive measures, such as by organizing virtual religious services.36 The OHCHR Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa finalized an interdisciplinary regional study in 2020 on the rights of ethnic and religious groups in the region, which included several in-depth country case studies analysing the strengths and gaps in national legal frameworks. As part of the study, which was developed through broad consultation and collaboration, recommendations were formulated to promote equality, combat discrimination and strengthen participation. The study further facilitated the creation of a strong, cross-disciplinary international network of partners. Moreover, the study is the first step in a much longer and more sustained overall project for promoting and protecting the rights of religious and ethnic minorities, as well as for broader engagement by OHCHR on freedom of religion or belief. In Viet Nam, OHCHR observed serious restrictions on religious practice by means of legislation, particularly the 2016 Law on Belief and Religion, which among other things imposes burdensome registration requirements for churches and minority religious groups and authorizes surveillance. Police monitoring, harassment, and crackdowns on religious groups operating outside government-controlled institutions, including Christians and Buddhists, have been reported. Unrecognized religious groups also face constant surveillance, harassment and intimidation, and are subjected to forced renunciation of faith, detention, interrogation, torture, and imprisonment. OHCHR continued to follow the situation of the Uighur community and other minorities in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, in China, and regularly requested that the Chinese authorities grant it immediate and unfettered access to the region. Throughout 2020, the High Commissioner indicated her concerns about this situation in her statements before the Human Rights Council. Special procedures publicly raised their concern over the situation of the Uighur people in a joint press release issued on 26 June 2020.37 Numerous special procedures documented restrictions of freedom of religion and belief, including destruction of religious sites, and restrictions on freedom of expression, of assembly and of movement in both the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and the Tibet Autonomous Region.38 Throughout the year, the human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine documented limitations to freedom of religion or belief targeting multiple religious communities in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine, temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation.39 The Russian Federation, as the occupying Power, continued to apply anti-extremist laws of the Russian Federation, commonly referred to as the “Yarovaya package”, to the exercise of religious practices.40 These provisions limit the manifestation of one’s religion by prescribing sanctions for “missionary activities” and by applying formalistic rules related, among other things, to the use of places of worship and the production of printed and digital content. OHCHR raised awareness of the issue through 36 37 38 39 40 12 See www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Minorities/OHCHRGuidance_COVID19_Minorities Rights.pdf. See www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26006&LangID=E. See https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunication File?gId=25374 and https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublic CommunicationFile?gId=23994. General Assembly resolution 74/168. See www.ohchr.org/en/countries/enacaregion/pages/uareports.aspx.