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Amnesty International Report 2002 - Laos

Covering events from January-December 2001

Lao People's Democratic Republic
Head of state: Khamtay Siphandone
Head of government: Bounyang Vorachit (replaced Sisavat Keobounphanh in March)
Capital: Vientiane
Population: 5.4 million
Official language: Lao
Death penalty: retentionist

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Freedom of expression, association and religion continued to be severely restricted. Strict controls on information prevented adequate international and local monitoring of the human rights situation. At least three prisoners of conscience and two political prisoners remained in cruel, inhuman or degrading conditions of detention. People continued to be arrested and harassed for their Christian beliefs. The fate of protesters arrested in October 1999 and November 2000 remained unknown. The death penalty was introduced for drug trafficking offences.

Background

The five-yearly congress of the ruling Lao People's Revolutionary Party in March resulted in President Khamtay Siphandone retaining leadership and an expansion of the political bureau to include three new members. Bounyang Vorachit was appointed Prime Minister, and several other ministerial changes were approved by the National Assembly.

A program of legal education was carried out to mark the 10th anniversary of the promulgation of the Lao Constitution in August 1991. In April, legislation was amended to provide the death penalty for drug offences involving the manufacture and/or trafficking of more than 500g of heroin or 10kg of amphetamines.

The authorities continued to ask for the extradition from Thailand of a group of 28 men alleged to be members of an armed opposition group involved in an armed attack on customs and immigration offices in Champassak province in July 2000.

Political prisoners

Official secrecy about political imprisonment continued, and the collection of independent and impartial information was seriously hampered by lack of access by independent human rights monitors and of freedom of expression. No information was made public about protesters arrested in 1999 and 2000, and their whereabouts and fate remained unknown. These included five members of the "Lao Students Movement for Democracy of 26 October 1999", arrested in October 1999. Thongpaseuth Keuakoun, Khamphouvieng Sisaath, Seng-Aloun Phengphanh, Bouavanh Chanhmanivong and Keochay were among a group of people who had attempted to publicly call for respect for human rights, the release of political prisoners, a multi-party political system and elections for a new National Assembly. Sinh Keotha, a woman arrested in connection with the same demonstration, was believed to have been released, while her brother, Sinh Sanay, remained in detention. At least 15 people arrested in November 2000 following a demonstration in Champassak province remained unaccounted for.

• Khamtanh Phousy, a prisoner of conscience detained since 1996, remained in Prison Camp 7, in a remote area of Houa Phanh province. A former army officer who converted to Christianity, he was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment on what were believed to be politically motivated charges. No information was available about the situation of two other political prisoners believed to be still held in Prison Camp 7. Sing Chanthakoumane and Pangtong Chokbengboun, detained for "re-education" and held without charge or trial since 1975, had been sentenced to life imprisonment after an unfair trial in 1992.
• Prisoners of conscience Feng Sakchittaphong and Latsami Khamphoui, both aged 61, remained in Prison Camp 7. Both men are former government officials who were arrested in 1990 after advocating peaceful political and economic change. In 1992 they were sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment under national security legislation following an unfair trial. Conditions of detention were extremely harsh. They continued to be held in darkness, and to be denied adequate food and medical care. Visiting rights for their families were severely restricted.
• In November, five foreign nationals, including a member of the European Parliament, were arrested after staging a protest in Vientiane to commemorate the second anniversary of the attempted demonstration on 26 October 1999. They were tried after two weeks, each given a two-year suspended sentence for anti-government propaganda, and immediately deported.

Religious persecution

Despite official denials, arrests and harassment of members of small unauthorized Christian churches continued. The majority of reported incidents took place in villages in the provinces. Churches were closed by the authorities and people who refused to renounce their faith in writing were imprisoned. Although several Christians previously detained in the provinces of Savannakhet, Luang Prabang and Attapeu were released, at least 30 remained in prisons around the country. These included Seuat, Khamthorn and Dam, arrested in November 2000 and held in Savannakhet City Jail; and Thongchan, Nhot and See arrested in Oudomsay province in 1999 and sentenced to 15, 12 and 12 years' imprisonment respectively. At least eight new arrests took place. In some cases people were held for short periods, while others were serving long sentences. It was reported that people released from prison were subjected to restrictions on movement by local authorities.

• Three Christian pastors were arrested in May in Bolikhamsai province after their church was closed down because they refused to sign a document renouncing their faith. Siaye Wang, aged 40 with six children, Tongkhue Wue, aged 43 with five children, and Yiaprie Wue, aged 31 with six children, were believed to be in poor health since their arrest because they were held in stocks and not given adequate food.

Torture and ill-treatment

AI continued to receive reports of extremely poor conditions of detention and the use of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. These included the prolonged use of stocks, deprivation of light, confinement in small cells, and inadequate provision of food, water and medication.

AI country reports/visits

Visit

In February AI representatives met a Lao government representative in France. A request to visit the country was refused.