As the human rights record of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic will be examined by the UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group for the third time on 21 January 2020, Manushya Foundation joined FORUM-ASIA and Civicus - World Alliance for Citizen Participation in an open letter urging UN member states to highlight Laos’s severely restrictive civic space environment at the review and draw recommendations to:

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• Take measures to foster a safe, respectful, enabling environment for civil society;

• Relevant laws and regulations should be revised;

• Ensure that human rights defenders are able to carry out their legitimate activities without fear;

• Ensure freedom of expression and media freedom by all bringing national legislation into line with international standards;

• Extend a standing invitation to all UN Special Procedures mandate holders and prioritize official visits with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression and the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association.