Amnesty International Report 2015/16 - Laos

Lao People's Democratic Republic
Head of state: Choummaly Sayasone
Head of government: Thongsing Thammavong

Severe restrictions on freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly continued and authorities prepared to further tighten control of civil society groups. Two prisoners of conscience arrested in 1999 for attempting a peaceful protest remained imprisoned. One activist was imprisoned for online criticism of the government. Restrictions on practising Christianity were reported, including arrests and prosecutions. No progress was recorded in the case of a prominent civil society member, three years after his enforced disappearance.

BACKGROUND

In June, Laos accepted 116 of 196 recommendations received during the second UPR of Laos. While Laos did not reject outright any recommendations, it indicated disagreement with the remaining 80 recommendations which were noted. Several of these pertained to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, and to human rights defenders.

Ahead of Laos chairing the ASEAN in 2016, civil society groups in the region called for their annual gathering, the ASEAN People's Forum, to be held outside the country on the grounds that free discussion of key regional rights issues will be impossible in Laos.

A concession for the construction of a controversial hydropower dam on the Mekong River at Don Sahong was approved by Parliament, despite objections from downstream countries as to the dam's expected ecological and social impact. Construction of the US$3.5 billion Xayaburi Dam entered its final stage. Plans for scores more dams throughout the country were either under development or under construction, including eight mainstream Mekong River dams potentially impacting livelihoods in neighbouring countries.

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

After the enactment of the Prime Ministerial Decree on management of information through the internet in 2014, at least two individuals were arrested in relation to information posted online.

A Natural Resources and Environmental Department staff member was arrested in June for posting a "confidential document" on Facebook regarding a land concession granted by the Luang Prabang local authorities to Chinese investors. She was released in August. Another woman, Phout Mitane, was detained for two months after a photograph she took showing police allegedly extorting money from her brother was posted online.

In October Bounthanh Thammavong, a Polish national of Lao descent, was convicted of criticizing the ruling party in a Facebook posting and sentenced to four-and-a-half years' imprisonment. A diplomatic official complained that Bounthanh Thammavong was denied access to a lawyer during his trial.

FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION

A new Decree on Associations and Foundations, severely limiting the right to freedom of association in violation of international law, was still pending in December. In May, the UN Special Rapporteurs on freedom of expression, on freedom of peaceful assembly and association, and on the situation of human rights defenders, expressed serious concerns about numerous provisions of the Decree. It requires associations and foundations to "operate in accordance with the [ruling] Party's policy, government's socio-economic development plan, State's laws and its regulations".

ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES

Sombath Somphone, a prominent civil society member who was abducted outside a police post in the capital, Vientiane, in December 2012, remained disappeared with no progress in his case. In March, a former military general heading a non-profit organization – widely believed to be a government proxy – made a failed attempt to have Sombath Somphone's name removed from the agenda of the ASEAN People's Forum event. No progress was made in the case of Sompawn Khantisouk, an entrepreneur who was active on conservation issues. He remained disappeared since being abducted by men believed to be police in 2007. Laos accepted some, but not all, UPR recommendations calling for an impartial investigation into Sombath Somphone's enforced disappearance and for Laos' ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

DEATH PENALTY

Approximately 20 people were reported to have been sentenced to death in 2015, mainly for drug-related offences. While Laos is not known to have carried out executions since 1989, it failed to accept more than a dozen UPR recommendations calling for an official moratorium on the death penalty.