POLITICAL PRISONERS IN LAOS

Early day motion 1603, tabled 8 June 2009 by Tom Levitt (Labour). Signed by 71 members.

That this House expresses profound concern about the human rights situation in Laos; notes that political prisoners continue to be held in detention in harsh conditions; condemns the continuing imprisonment after more than nine years of peaceful protestors Thongpaseuth Keuakoun, Seng-Aloun Phengphanh and Bouavanh Chanhmanivong; calls for a review of the charges against ethnic Hmong Thao Moua and Pa Fue Khang, imprisoned after a politically-motivated trial in June 2003 for their involvement with European journalists in researching a news story about the plight of the Hmong hiding in the jungles of Laos; further condemns the refusal of the Lao government to allow independent observers, including UN agencies, to monitor the situation of Lao Hmong refugees and asylum seekers returned to Laos from Thailand during the past three years; and further calls on the Government to draw these violations of human rights to the urgent attention of the UN.

Signatures by party: Liberal Democrat 31, Labour 30, Conservative 4, Social Democratic and Labour Party 3, DUP 2, Independent 1.