Laos: Religious Freedom

(asked on 12th October 2020) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the religious freedom of minorities in Laos; and what representations they have made to the government of Laos about its duty to uphold Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.


Answered by
 Portrait
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This question was answered on 26th October 2020

We have encouraged the Lao Government to fulfil all of its international human rights obligations, including during the British Ambassador's call on the Lao Foreign Minister in late 2019. The UK made a statement at the 45th session of the Human Rights Council in Sep-Oct 2020, which reiterated concerns around restrictions on freedom of opinion and expression in Laos.

In the questions submitted to the Universal Periodic Review of Laos in January this year, we asked what steps the Lao Government was taking to promote and protect the right to freedom of religion or belief, specifically referencing ending the incidence of detaining or imprisoning Christians for unauthorised religious activities. We welcome Laos' engagement with the Universal Periodic Review process.

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