The rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly remained severely restricted, and the state exercised strict control over media and civil society. Three activists were convicted in a trial concerning their participation in protests in Thailand and comments made on social...

Lu Siwei, a human rights lawyer from China, is at risk of refoulement to China from Lao PDR, where he is detained.

In response to news on 17 May 2023 of the fatal shooting of Bounsuan Kitiyano, a 56-year-old Lao human rights defender and a refugee recognized the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), in a border town in northeastern Thailand, we, the ten undersigned organizations, urge the government of...

Today marks the second anniversary since ASEAN agreed on the Five Point Consensus in response to the military coup in Myanmar. The Myanmar military has ignored calls from the international community to stop the violence. Moreover, since the coup, the Myanmar military has committed war crimes and...

Ahead of the 10-year anniversary of the enforced disappearance of Lao civil society leader Sombath Somphone, we, the undersigned civil society organizations and individuals, renew calls on the Lao government to determine his fate and whereabouts and deliver justice, truth, and reparation to his...

On the adoption of Lao PDR’s UPR review, Amnesty International regrets that the state did not accept recommendations on steps to abolish the death penalty; to ratify all international human rights treaties and protocols; to take specific measures to investigate grave human rights violations...

Human rights protection in the country has remained weak since the last review, both in law and practice. While the authorities have implemented several legal reforms, including a revision of the Penal Code, these reforms have yet to be translated into practice. The Lao government continues to...

Six years after the enforced disappearance of Lao civil society leader Sombath Somphone, civil society organizations across the world renew calls on the Lao government to conduct an independent, impartial and effective investigation to reveal his fate and whereabouts.

On the fifth anniversary of the enforced disappearance of Lao civil society leader Sombath Somphone, we, the undersigned organizations, express outrage at the Lao government’s failure to independently, impartially, effectively, and transparently investigate Sombath’s disappearance, reveal his...

Nine organizations call for the immediate repeal or significant amendment of the Decree on Associations No. 238 of 2017. The Decree gives government authorities sweeping powers that enable arbitrary restriction or denial of fundamental rights, including the power to unreasonably control and/or...

On the fourth anniversary of the enforced disappearance of prominent Lao civil society leader Sombath Somphone, Amnesty International and 131 other organizations condemn the Lao PDR government’s ongoing failure to adequately investigate Sombath’s disappearance. We urge the authorities to act to...

As the third anniversary of the enforced disappearance of Sombath Somphone nears, the undersigned Directors of Amnesty International offices in Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland,...