E/CN.4/2005/61/Add.1 Page 21 Observations 77. The Special Rapporteur is grateful for the reply provided by the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Nevertheless, she notes that her concerns have been expressed in a similar way by other human rights mechanisms, including treaty bodies. In its most recent concluding observations on the situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (CCPR/CO/72/PRK), the Human Rights Committee “note[d] with regret that the delegation was unable to provide up-to-date information about religious freedoms in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea…. [I]n the light of information available to the Committee that religious practice is repressed or strongly discouraged in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Committee is seriously concerned that the State party's practice in this respect does not meet the requirements of article 18 of the Covenant”. 78. In 2004, the Committee on the Rights of the Child, in its concluding observations on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (CRC/C/15/Add.239), expressed its concern “about the lack of information on civil and political rights and persistent reports of limitations on the civil and political rights of citizens, including children, in particular freedoms of opinion, expression, thought, conscience, religion….” 79. In the light of the above, the Special Rapporteur would welcome more information about religious communities present on the territory, the number of its members and the number of places of worship, as well as the practical measures taken by the authorities to guarantee the freedom of exercise of religious practice by the communities. Egypt Communications and replies received 80. On 15 March 2004, the Special Rapporteur transmitted a communication to the Government of Egypt regarding the St. John the Beloved Coptic Monastery, located in the desert by the Cairo-Suez Road 30 km east of Cairo, which was reportedly under continuous threat of being demolished. The monastery was a residence village for handicapped children and orphans, Charity Isle of Patmos, and was composed of several buildings, including a church. The monastery was reportedly built 10 years ago with an easement of 50 m from the edge of the highway, in compliance with the then-existing code, and was surrounded by a 450-m brick fence. Bishop Pietros, the abbot of the monastery, reportedly applied for the necessary building permits, obtained all necessary permits from the respective authorities and complied with all of them as specified by the authorities at the time of the construction. 81. It was reported that the monastery has been attacked nine times in the last 6 ½ years by members of the local army unit, encouraged by high-ranking officers. Most recently, on 5 January 2004, 600 soldiers and two bulldozers reportedly attacked the monastery, partially destroying the fence and setting fire to structures on the premises. Bishop Pietros was allegedly singled out for attack. One staff member of the monastery was reportedly killed during the attack and several other staff members and