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The situation of human rights in Laos has often been, and remains, a recognized cause for serious concern. Laos is one a handful of Marxist-Leninist governments and is ruled by a one-party communist government backed by the Lao People's Army in alliance with the Vietnam People's Army and Socialist Republic of Vietnam in Hanoi. Amnesty International, The Centre for Public Policy Analysis, the United League for Democracy in Laos, Human Rights Watch, the Lao Human Rights Council and other non-governmental organizations (NGO)s have raised repeated serious concerns about the ratification record of the Laos Government on human rights standards and its lack of cooperation with the UN human rights mechanisms and legislative measures which impact negatively on human rights. They have also raised concerns in relation to disappeared civic activist Sombath Somphone, and jailed and tortured political and religious dissidents, military attacks on unarmed civilians, as well as the lack of freedom of expression, torture, poor prison conditions, restrictions on freedom of religions, protection of refugees and asylum-seekers, extrajudicial killing and rape by the Lao People's Army and security forces and the improper use of the death penalty.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 author=Amnesty International )〕 The policy objectives of both the Lao communist government and international donors remain focused toward achieving sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction,〔(World Bank: Lao PDR )〕 but restrictions on freedom of expression and association are a source of concern.〔(Amnesty International Report 2008, Lao PDR )〕 The barring of independent human rights monitors makes an exact appraisal of the situation impossible. In particular, the situation for groups of ethnic Hmong hiding in the jungle remains grave and leads to a steady stream of people taking refuge in neighboring Thailand. The death penalty remains in force, although no executions have been reported since 1989.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Document - Amnesty International )〕 The U.S. State Department reports on human rights around the world declare that most Lao trials in 2003 were little more than pro forma examinations of the accused, with a verdict having already been reached. The State Department indicated that in some instances police administratively overruled court decisions, at times detaining a defendant exonerated by the court, in violation of the law. Moreover, while Lao law prohibits torture, members of the security forces reportedly subjected prisoners to torture and other abuses. A significant issue in human rights in Laos is the presence of anti-government rebels, mainly of the Hmong ethnic minority, who have reportedly been harshly treated by the Lao government. In its 2006 report the State Department mentions that "The government's overall human rights record worsened during the year." For more details see the report (link given below under "see also"). == Official Lao position on human rights == Officially, and in theory, the Constitution that was promulgated in 1991 under the Stalinist government contains most key safeguards for human rights. For example, in Article 8 it makes it clear that Laos is a multiethnic state and is committed to equality between ethnic groups. The Constitution also has provisions for gender equality and freedom of religion, for freedom of speech, press and assembly.〔In reality, however, these rights, are almost never afforded to ordinary citizens in Laos, or political or religious dissidents, or the ethnic Hmong minority, and there is no independent judiciary in Laos under the current government. Judges are appointed by the intelligence services, Lao People's Army and one-party communist government.(Constitution of the Lao PDR )〕 On 25 September 2009, Laos ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, nine years after signing the treaty. The policy objectives of both the Lao government and international donors remain focused toward achieving sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction. However, systemic corruption, and illegal logging also remains a serious problem among Lao government and military officials according to Transparency International and others. However, according to Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the Center for Public Policy Analysis, the United League for Democracy in Laos, the Lao Human Rights Council, the Lao Veterans of America Institute, and many human rights organizations, non-governmental organizations, and policy experts, the reality in Laos is quite different, and the Marxist government generally does not abide by its own Constitution. The Lao government in Vientiane has been frequently condemned by the US Congress, United Nations Committee on Racial Discrimination, European Parliament and human rights advocates. Especially in light of the imprisonment of pro-democracy Lao Student leaders in October 1999, the persecution of Hmong refugees, and asylum seekers and the recent abduction and disappearance of civil society leader Sombath Somphone. The Lao government maintains very close relations with the government of North Korea and its military. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Human rights in Laos」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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