Tag - Laos ( 5 )

Report | Laos communications: May 1, 2011 to February 28, 2017

Feb 28 2017

This page summarizes cases raised with Laos by the Special Rapporteur between May 1, 2011, (when the Special Rapporteur took up his functions) and February 28, 2017 (the date of the last public release of communications). Communications are released to the public once per year. This page also contains observations on these communications and on responses received from Laos. Communications and observations are divided into sections based upon which observation report they originally appeared. Each communication is referenced as urgent appeal (UA), allegation letter (AL), joint urgent appeal (JUA) and joint allegation letter (JAL) - the hyperlinks lead to these documents. This is followed by the date the communication was issued, as well as the case number and the State reply (also hyperlinked if available). Summaries and communications are published only in the language of submission (in the case of Laos, English). First Report (May 1, 2011 to March 15, 2012) None Second Report (March 16, 2012 to February 28, 2013) Joint allegation letter, 20/12/2012. Case no. LAO 2/2012. State Reply: None to date. Allegations of expulsion of a staff member belonging to an international non-governmental organization from the Lao People‟s Democratic Republic. Joint allegation letter, 20/12/2012. Case no.... Continue reading →

News | The Assembly and Association Briefing, Vol. 3, No. 2 (Issue 19) – February-March 2016

Mar 16 2016

Issue No. 19 of the Assembly and Association Briefing, the newsletter of Maina Kiai, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. In this issue: • UN rapporteurs provide a roadmap to avoid human rights violations during protests • Human rights defender Berta Cáceres murdered in Honduras; Gustavo Castro Soto remains at risk • UN experts urge Western Australia not to pass anti-protest law • #FOAAat50: Celebrating 50 years of human rights through art and social media • Follow-up visit to the United Kingdom in April 2016 • Next UN General Assembly report to focus on labor issues • Freedom of association and assembly: By the numbers • Special Rapporteur news in brief: February – March 2016 • World briefing: Freedom of assembly and association in the news For a link to the newsletter, click on the image at right or click here (1.9MB file) or here (5.9MB full resolution file). To subscribe to our newsletter, please drop us a line at info@freeassembly.net with the subject line “subscribe to newsletter.” For other recent newsletters, see the links below: The Assembly and Association Briefing, Vol. 2, No. 7 (Issue 16) (Oct. 2015) The Assembly and Association Briefing, Vol. 2, No. 8 (Issue 17) (Nov.-Dec.... Continue reading →

News | The Assembly and Association Briefing, Vol. 2, No. 1 (Issue 10) – January 2015

Feb 04 2015

Issue No. 10 of the Assembly and Association Briefing, the newsletter of Maina Kiai, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. In this issue: • Full coverage of the Special Rapporteur's visit to Kazakhstan • Oman: UN experts call for the immediate release of activist Said Jadad, as reprisals continue unchecked • Lao: Two years later, Sombath Somphone still missing • Bahrain: Kiai joins call to drop charges against women activists for government criticism • UNSR releases first-ever annual report recapping 2014 • Freedom of association and assembly: By the numbers • Special rapporteur news in brief: December 2014 - January 2015 • World briefing: Freedom of assembly and association in the news For a link to the newsletter, click on the image at right or click here (1.5MB file) or here (6.5MB full resolution file). To subscribe to our newsletter, please drop us a line at info@freeassembly.net with the subject line “subscribe to newsletter.” For other recent newsletters, see the links below: The Assembly and Association Briefing, Vol. 1, No. 7 (September 2014) The Assembly and Association Briefing, Vol. 1, No. 8 (October-November 2014) The Assembly and Association Briefing, Vol. 1, No. 9 (December 2014) All previous... Continue reading →

News | Lao: UN experts appeal for international help two years after the enforced disappearance of leading rights defender

Dec 23 2014

GENEVA – International support is now needed to investigate the enforced disappearance of a leading Laotian human rights defender, a group of United Nations independent experts, including Maina Kiai, said today. Human rights activist Sombath Somphone has been disappeared since December 2012. “It is high time for the authorities of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) to voluntarily request international assistance with the aim of shedding light on Mr. Somphone’s fate and whereabouts, two years after his disappearance,” the experts said. “International law makes clear that the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic has the duty to carry out an independent, thorough, credible and effective investigation.” Mr. Somphone is a prominent human right activist working on issues of land confiscation and assisting victims in denouncing such practices. He was last seen at a police check point with his car parked in the police compound. “We urge the authorities to release more information about the progress of investigation, especially to his family,” the independent experts stressed. “In the absence of any tangible progress, we strongly recommend that an international team of experts work jointly with the Lao People’s Democratic Republic’s to fulfil its legal... Continue reading →

News | A year on, the enforced disappearance of Sombath Somphone continues with impunity in Lao PDR

Dec 16 2013

GENEVA – A group of United Nations human rights experts today urged the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) to increase its efforts in the investigations into the enforced disappearance on 15 December 2012, of Sombath Somphone, a prominent human right activist working on issues of land confiscation and assisting victims in denouncing such practices. “Mr. Somphone has been disappeared for one year. We are deeply concerned about his safety and security”, the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances said. “We urge the Government of Lao PDR to do its utmost to locate Mr. Somphone, to establish his fate and whereabouts, and to hold the perpetrators accountable.” The human rights experts noted that Mr. Somphone was held in police custody following his reported disappearance, according to additional information received that sheds new light on the case. A few days after his disappearance, he was seen inside a police detention centre with his car parked in the police compound. Two days later, he was reportedly moved to a military camp outside Vientiane, and then transferred again to an unknown location one week later. It was further reported that, a few days following his disappearance, relevant Government officials said that Mr. Somphone would be... Continue reading →