Thirty-three unnamed men and women: Thirty-three men and women have been placed in incommunicado detention at two unknown detention facilities in Vientiane since 31 January 1998. They were part of a group of 44 people arrested at a bible study meeting held by the evangelical Churches of Christ. Among those arrested were the organisers of the meeting – three Americans working for the NGO Partners in Progress, a French and a Thai national: they were released on 4 February and given seven days to leave the country. Six Laotians, including three children and one pregnant woman, were also released.
