LAOPEOPLE’SDEMOCRATICREPUBLIC

JointSubmissiontotheWorkingGroupfortheUniversalPeriodicReview–Thirdcycle35thSession–January/February2020

July2019

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ReportingOrganisations

1. HarmReductionInternational(HRI)isaleadingnon-governmentalorganisationdedicatedtoreducing the negative health, social and legal impacts of drug use and drug policy. Wepromote the rightsofpeoplewhousedrugsand their communities through researchandadvocacytohelpachieveaworld wheredrugpoliciesandlawscontributetohealthier,safersocieties.Theorganisation isanNGOinSpecialConsultativeStatuswiththeEconomicandSocialCounciloftheUnitedNations.

2. TheInternationalDrugPolicyConsortium(IDPC)isaglobalnetworkof188non-governmentorganisations,establishedin2006,advocatingfordrugpoliciesthatarebasedonevidenceandprinciplesofpublichealth,humanrights,humansecurityanddevelopment.

3. TheAsianNetworkofPeoplewhoUseDrugs(ANPUD)isacommunity-ledregionaladvocacynetwork that works to improve the quality of life of people who use drugs through theenjoymentofequalhumanrightsandopportunities.TheformationofANPUDisunderpinnedbytheprincipleof“MeaningfulInvolvementofPeoplewhoUseDrugs”withastrongbeliefofunity, support, equality, inclusiveness, spirit of friendliness, collaboration and the will tochangethecurrentsituationfacedbypeoplewhousedrugsintheAsianRegion.

Introduction

4. HRI, IDPC and ANPUD welcome the opportunity to report to theWorking Group for theUniversal Periodic Review on drug laws and policies in Lao People’s Democratic Republic(hereinafterLao)andtheirimpactontheenjoymentofhumanrights.Inparticular,thisreportwillexaminetherighttohealthofpeoplewhousedrugs,thedeathpenaltyfordrugoffencesandthearbitraryarrestanddetentionofpeoplewhousedrugsand“drugoffenders”.

Therighttohealthofpeoplewhousedrugs

1. Anestimated1,600peopleinjectdrugsinLao.1

2. UNhumanrightsanddrugcontrolbodiesagreethatpeoplewhousedrugsretaintheirhumanrights, includingtheirrighttothehighestattainablestandardofhealth.HavingratifiedtheInternational Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, Lao has binding legalobligationstorespect,protectandfulfiltherighttohealthofpeoplewhousedrugs.

Harmreductionasafundamentalcomponentoftherighttohealth

1. TherighttohealthrequiresallStatestoprovidecomprehensiveharmreductionservicesforpeoplewhousedrugs.2Harmreductionservicesandinterventionsarelife-saving,evidence-based,andcosteffective.Onthisbasis,theWorldHealthOrganization(WHO)recommendsharmreductionasanessentialpartofacomprehensivepackageofinterventionstopreventHIV.3TheWHOalsoidentifiesharmreductionasoneofthefivecoreinterventionsnecessarytoachievehepatitisCeliminationby2030,4andconsidersharmreductiontobeaneffectiveapproach to mitigating the risk of tuberculosis.5 Essential harm reduction interventionsinclude needle and syringe programmes (NSPs) andopioid substitution therapy (OST) andoverdosepreventionandmanagement.6Evidenceshowsthat theseessential interventionsaremosteffectivewhentheyarepeer-ledandsupportedbyfavourabledruglawsandpolicies.

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2. TheonlytwoneedleandsyringeprogrammesinLao,whichreceivedsupportfromtheAsianDevelopmentBank,wereterminatedwhentheprojectcametoanend in2017.Therearecurrentlynoknownharmreductionservicesavailableinthecountry.7

Thedeathpenaltyfordrugoffences

3. Numerous human rights mechanisms have authoritatively stated that the “most seriouscrimes”towhichthedeathpenaltymustbelimitedare“crimesofextremegravityinvolvingintentionalkilling.”8Accordingly,drug-relatedoffenceshavebeendeterminednot tomeetthiscritical threshold.Thisopinion is sharedby theUnitedNationsHighCommissioner forHumanRights, the Economic and Social Council, theGeneralAssembly and the Secretary-General,theSpecialRapporteurontorture,theSpecialRapporteuronextrajudicial,summaryorarbitraryexecutions,9andtheHumanRightsCommittee.10

4. Nevertheless,Laoisoneof35countriesandterritoriesthatstillretainthedeathpenaltyfor

drug offences in their legislation. The government states that the death penalty is onlyimposedfor“especiallyseriouscrimessuchasdrugstrafficking.”11Moreprecisely,thedeathpenaltyisenvisagedaspunishmentfortheproduction,trade,distribution,possession,import,export,andtransportthroughLaoofspecified(andmodest)amountsoflistedsubstances.12Whilethegovernmenthasstatedthat“inpractice”individualssentencedtodeath“receivereductionofdeathsentencetolifeimprisonment,”13Laotianlawstillenvisagesdeathasthemandatorypunishmentforcertaindrug-relatedcrimes.14

5. ThelastrecordedexecutioninLaodatesbackto1989,andthegovernmenthasrepeatedly

statedthatamoratoriumhas“inpractice”beeninplaceinthecountryforsomeyears.15

6. Whileinformationontheimpositionofcapitalpunishmentinthecountryisextremelylimited,duringits2018reviewbytheHumanRightsCommittee,thegovernmentacknowledgedthat311outofthe315peopleondeathrowatthetimehadbeenconvictedfordrugoffences.16Thisrevelationprovidedaglimpseintotheotherwisesecretivepracticeofcapitalsentencinginthecountry,andconfirmedthatdrugoffencesarethemaincategoryforwhichthedeathpenaltyisimposed.

7. DuringitslastUniversalPeriodicReviewinJanuary2015,Laoreiterateditscommitmentto

review“thelistofoffensessubjecttodeathpenaltyunderthecurrentPenalLaw[…]tobeinfullcompliancewithArticle6oftheICCPR”.17Regrettably,thereisnoevidencethatreformstothiseffecthavetakenplacesince.Duringthereview,Laoalsoreceivedrecommendationsby several States to ratify the SecondOptional Protocol to the ICCPR, establish anofficialmoratoriumonexecutions,restricttheapplicationofthedeathpenaltytothemostseriouscrimes, and/or abolish the death penalty.18 The country did not accept any of theserecommendations.

8. The Government has also repeatedly abstained from voting on UN General Assembly

resolutionsaimedatestablishingamoratoriumontheuseofthedeathpenalty.19

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Prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment andtreatmentofpersonsdeprivedoftheirliberty

9. Asof2017,therewere12government-rundrug“rehabilitation”centres inLao,20detainingover4000peoplewhousedrugs.21Since2011,humanrightsbodiesandnon-governmentalorganisationshavereportedviolationsandabusessufferedbyindividualsinso-calleddrug-rehabilitationcentresinthecountry,suchas(butnotlimitedto):forcedurinetestinganddrugdependence treatment (often not based on scientifically proven practices); involuntarycommitment to, and lack of medical evaluation in facilities; forced labour; detention inunsanitary conditions; and sexual violence. What is formally described as treatment andrehabilitationinrealityconstitutesarbitrarydetentionfollowingarbitraryarrest,lackingdueprocess guarantees or judicial oversight, in a context where violence and abuse arecommonplace.22

10. ThemostinfamousamongthesecentresisSomsangaRehabilitationCentre,wheresince1996

morethan25,000peoplehavebeen“treated”23fordrugdependence.Althoughthecentreisstill operational, no information is available concerning current conditions or availableinterventions.24

11. In2015,LaoandotherSoutheastAsian (ASEAN)countriesplusChina (9countries in total)

officially committed to moving from compulsory detention treatment towards voluntarycommunity-basedtreatmentservices.Followingthisdevelopment,theUnitedNationsOfficeon Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and all 9 countries announced a package to strengthencommunity-based health services for people who use drugs in November 2016.Unfortunately,Laohasnotyetmademuchprogressonthesecommitments.25

12. HRI, IDPCandANPUDwish to express their concerns regarding the failureof the State toprovideupdatedandreliableinformationondrugdetentioncentres,alackoftransparencyandaccountability,andfailuretoensurejusticeandtheprovisionoffullreparationstothosewhohave endured torture, ill-treatment, andother violations of their human rightswhiledetainedinthesecentres.

13. Equally concerning is the failureof theState to respond to reportsof arbitraryarrest and

detentionofpersonswhousedrugs,asrequestedbytheHumanRightsCommitteein2018.26Moregenerally,althoughLaonotedthatlawenforcementisprohibitedfromusingviolenceagainst “drug offenders”, and referred to an ongoing commitment to “developing bettermanagementof detention and correctional facilities,”27 it did not elaborate specifically onnationaldrugcontrolstrategies,onwhetherdrugdetentioncentresarestillinoperation,norprovide “relevant statistics on the number of reported cases of torture and ill-treatment,investigations,prosecutionsofprisonofficialsandconvictionssecured.”28

ConclusionsandRecommendations

14. HRI,IDPCandANPUDurgeMemberStatestorecommendthatthegovernmentofLao:

a) Reviewdomesticpoliciesandpracticestoensureaccesstoevidence-basedandhealth-centredapproachestodruguse,includingaccesstopeer-ledharmreductionservicesandinterventions both inside and outside prison settings, in line with internationallyrecognisedhumanrightsstandards;

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b) RatifytheSecondOptionalProtocoltotheICCPR;

c) AdoptanofficialmoratoriumonexecutionswithaviewtoamendingthePenalCode,asafirststeptowardsthedefinitiveabolitionofthedeathpenalty;

d) End the arbitrary arrest and compulsory detention and treatment of peoplewhousedrugs,andworktowardsprovidingvoluntarycommunity-basedtreatmentservicesinlinewithinternationallyrecognisedhumanrightsstandards;

e) Adoptmeasures toensureallallegationsofhumanrightsviolations indrugdetentioncentres and reports of arbitrary arrest and detention of people who use drugs are“promptlyandthoroughlyinvestigatedbyanindependentmechanism,thatperpetratorsare prosecuted and punished accordingly and that victims are provided with fullreparation”.29

f) Make age and sex-disaggregated, non-cumulative, consistently updated and reliableinformation available on: death sentences and individuals in death row, executionsand/orcommutationofdeathsentences;theexistenceandfunctioningofdrugdetentioncentres;allegationsofhumanrightsviolationsindrugdetentioncentres;andreportsofarbitraryarrestanddetentionofpeoplewhousedrugs.

1UNAIDSdata2018,p.147,https://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/media_asset/unaids-data-2018_en.pdf2PaulHunt,‘Humanrights,health,andharmreduction’,8.Keyhumanrightsmechanismshavereiteratedthisprinciple,suchas:SpecialRapporteurontherightofeveryonetothehighestattainablestandardofmentalandphysicalhealth,DainiusPūras,‘OpenLetterinthecontextofthepreparationsfortheUNGeneralAssemblySpecialSessionontheDrugProblem(UNGASS),whichwilltakeplaceinNewYorkinApril2016’(7December2015).3WHO,ConsolidatedGuidelinesonHIVprevention,diagnosis,treatmentandcareforkeypopulations,2016update,https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/246200/9789241511124-eng.pdf?sequence=14WHO,ConsolidatedStrategicInformationGuidelinesforViralHepatitis,PlanningandTrackingProgressTowardsElimination,2019.https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/310912/9789241515191-eng.pdf?ua=15WHO,ConsolidatedguidelinesforintegratingcollborativeTBandHIVserviceswithinacomprehensivepackageofcareforpeoplewhoinjectdrugs,2016.https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/204484/9789241510226_eng.pdf;jsessionid=8109A3D2AC9E957C67F71480B33D80E6?sequence=16The“harmreductioncomprehensivepackage”recommendedinWHOguidelinesincludes:NSP;OST;anti-retroviraltreatment;HIV,tuberculosis&hepatitistesting,counsellingandtreatment;condomsforpeoplewhoinjectdrugs;targetedinformation;andvaccinationagainsthepatitisB.https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/246200/9789241511124-eng.pdf?sequence=17Personalcommunication,onfilewithHRI,16July2019.8HumanRightsCommittee,GeneralcommentNo.36onarticle6oftheInternationalCovenantonCivilandPoliticalRights,ontherighttolife(AdvanceUneditedVersion),para.399Amongothers,see:EconomicandSocialCouncil,Resolution1984/50:Safeguardsguaranteeingprotectionoftherightsofthosefacingthedeathpenalty(25May1984);HumanRightsCouncil,ReportoftheSpecialRapporteuronextrajudicial,summaryorarbitraryexecutions,PhilipAlston:CivilandPoliticalRights,IncludingtheQuestionsofDisappearancesandSummaryExecutions(29January2007),para.39-53.UNDoc.A/HRC/4/20;HumanRightsCouncil,ReportoftheSpecialRapporteurontortureandothercruel,inhumanordegradingtreatmentorpunishment,ManfredNowak:Promotionandprotectionofallhumanrights,civil,political,economic,socialandculturalrights,includingtherighttodevelopment(14January2009),para.30.UnDoc.A/HRC/10/44.

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10Amongothers,see:UNHumanRightsCommittee.ConcludingObservations:Thailand(8July2005),para14.UNDocCCPR/CO/84/THA;UNHumanRightsCommittee.ConcludingObservations:Sudan(29August2007),para.19.UNDocCCPR/C/SDN/CO/3;UNHumanRightsCouncil.Questionofthedeathpenalty:reportoftheSecretary-General(30June2014),para.29.UNDoc.A/HRC/27/2311HumanRightsCommittee,ConsiderationofreportssubmittedbyStatespartiesunderarticle40oftheCovenantpursuanttotheoptionalreportingprocedure:InitialreportsofStatespartiesduein2010,LaoPeople’sDemocraticRepublic(27April2017),para.39.UNDoc.CCPR/C/LAO/1(hereafter:LaoPeople’sDemocraticRepublicinitialreport)12LaoPeople’sDemocraticRepublic,PenalLaw,art.146.Accessibleat:http://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/text.jsp?file_id=18019413HumanRightsCouncil,LaoPeople’sDemocraticRepublicinitialreport,para.3914LaoPeople’sDemocraticRepublic,PenalLaw,art.146(1),146(2),146(3).Accessibleat:http://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/text.jsp?file_id=18019415HumanRightsCouncil,LaoPeople’sDemocraticRepublicinitialreport,para.75;HumanRightsCouncil,ReportoftheWorkingGroupontheUniversalPeriodicReview:LaoPeople’sDemocraticRepublic,para.77.UNDoc.A/HRC/29/716HumanRightsCommittee.LaoPeople’sDemocraticRepublicinitialreport,para65.17Ibid.,para.3618HumanRightsCouncil,ReportoftheWorkingGroupontheUniversalPeriodicReview:LaoPeople’sDemocraticRepublic,paras.121.4–121.9.UNDoc.A/HRC/29/719UNGeneralAssembly,71stSession,65thPlenaryMeeting:officialrecords(19December2016),pag.25/47.UNDoc.A/71/PV.65;UNGeneralAssembly,69thSession,73rdPlenaryMeeting:officialrecords(18December2014),pag.17.UNDoc.A/69/PV.73;UNGeneralAssembly,67thSession,60thPlenaryMeeting:Officialrecords(20December2012),pag.17.UNDoc.A/67/PV.6020AsiaPacificAmphetamineTypeStimulantsInformationCentre,LaoPDR:Overviewofthedrugsituation(14February2017)http://www.apaic.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=376&Itemid=80721InternationalDrugPolicyConsortium,10yearsofdrugpolicyinAsia:Howfarhavewecome?Acivilsocietyshadowreport.(19February2019)22Amongothers,see:HumanRightsWatch,‘Somsanga’sSecrets:ArbitraryDetention,PhysicalAbuse,andSuicideinsideaLaoDrugDetentionCentre(USA:HumanRightsWatch,2011);JosephJ.Amonetal.,‘CompulsoryDrugDetentionCentersinChina,Cambodia,Vietnam,andLaos:HealthandHumanRightsAbuses”15/2HealthandHumanRights(December2013),12623HumanRightsCouncil,ReportoftheWorkingGroupontheUniversalPeriodicReview:LaoPeople’sDemocraticRepublic,para89.UNDoc.A/HRC/29/724InJuly2017,inthecontextoftheAustralia–LaosHumanRightsDialogue,adelegationofforeignofficialswasallowedtovisitthecentre.Moreinformationisavailablehere:http://dfat.gov.au/news/media/Pages/5th-australia-lao-pdr-human-rights-dialogue.aspx.25UnitedNationsOfficeonDrugsandCrime,CommunitybasedtreatmentstrategyforSoutheastAsiamovesahead,30November2016,https://www.unodc.org/southeastasiaandpacific/en/2016/11/community-based-drug-treatment/story.html26HumanRightsCommittee,ListofIssuesinrelationtotheinitialreportoftheLaoPeople’sDemocraticRepublic(28March2018),UNDoc.CCPR/C/LAO/Q/1,para.15.27HumanRightsCouncil,LaoPeople’sDemocraticRepublicinitialreport,para.54.28HumanRightsCommittee,ListofIssuesinrelationtotheinitialreportoftheLaoPeople’sDemocraticRepublic(28March2018),para.12.UnDoc.CCPR/C/LAO/Q/1.29Ibid.,para.12.