Laos is a one-party state in which the ruling Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) dominates all aspects of politics and harshly restricts civil liberties. There is no organized opposition, independent civil society, or independent media sector. Economic development has stoked disputes over land and environmental problems. Meanwhile, a severe economic crisis and accompanying inflation has resulted in sharp cutbacks in state services and prompted the emigration of many educated and young people.

• In July, 280 Chinese citizens were arrested for alleged involvement in a illegal online fraud scheme operating from a special economic zone in northern Laos. A number of such cybercrime rings have been reported in the area; Laotians and workers of other nationalities are often forced to join the rings and subjected to slavery-like conditions and torture. Enforcement of human-trafficking prevention measures are hindered by a lack of transparency and weak rule of law. Laotian parents of trafficked individuals have called on the country’s state media to highlight the problem.
• In January, six men were arrested in Xieng Khouang Province for protesting the seizure of their land by authorities, who reportedly sought to hand it to a wood processing company. The protesters claimed that corrupt officials were bribed to create a fraudulent deed to the land. Two women who went to visit the arrested men were themselves arrested days later.
• In July, a Christian pastor was shot dead by masked men in his home, with no clear reason given by police or anyone else for the attack. Despite constitutional protections for religious freedom, assaults and harassment of Christians remains an issue in Laos.
• Authorities have increasingly built up ties with counterparts in China. In July, Chinese troops participated in sizable war games with the Laotian military near Vientiane. Laos has been one of the major recipients of Chinese Belt and Road Initiative funds, and the state has increasingly has been selling off portions of the energy sector to Chinese companies.

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For additional background information, see last year’s full report.