Od Sayavong
Cases- Location of case in SG report
- 2020-124-002
- Relevant SG report
- Year of the report
- 2020
- From Country
- Country Geolocation
Latitude: 15.870032
Longitude: 100.992541
- Country Geolocation (linked Cases)
- Thailand
- From Region
- UN body that raised the case prior to the SG report
- UN Special Procedures: Thematic
- Dates of prior UN action
- 25 September 2019
- Type of record
- Named individual
- Gender
- Male
- Was the victim a foreign national?
- Yes
- Was the victim a minor?
- No
- Individual's/organization's activity
Lao refugee recognized by UNHCR living in Bangkok (LAO 2/2019). Mr. Sayavong is a former member of “Free Lao,” a group of Lao migrant workers and human rights defenders based in Thailand that advocates for human rights and democracy in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic.
- Type of rights defended
- Economic/social rights
- Was the victim a civil servant or member of the security forces or of the judiciary?
- No
- Reported trigger of reprisal
On 15 March 2019, Mr. Sayavong met with the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights in Bangkok, prior to his visit to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic in March 2019, and that day posted on Facebook a photo of himself in front of the UN office in Bangkok.
- Engagement with UN body
- UN Special Procedures: thematic
- Dates of engagement
- 15 March 2019
- Type of attempted engagement
- Meeting with UN officials during country visit / with locally present UN officials
- Dates of mentioned reprisals
- Unclear
- Location of mentioned reprisals
- Bangkok
- Reprisal information
The mandate holders raised concerns that the cooperation of Mr. Sayavong with the Special Rapporteur may have possibly contributed to his alleged disappearance and, if this were the case, it may be considered an act of reprisal by Lao authorities.
- Types of reprisals suffered
- Disappearance/Kidnapping
- Alleged/likely perpetrators
- Unclear
- Was the reprisal based on new legislation?
- No
- Does the report make general comment about country’s environment for engagement with UN?
- No
- Government response dates
- 23 July 2020
- Government response content
Government responded to the note verbale sent in connection to the present report, providing an update on an investigation launched after a complaint was filed by Mr. Od Sayavong’s friend on 2 September 2019. The Royal Thai Police interviewed Mr. Sayavong’s relatives, friends, and acquaintances, as well as examined security camera footage, call records and financial transactions, but have not yet found any useful evidence or clues that would clarify his fate and whereabouts. The Department of Special Investigation has also taken up the case since 11 February 2020. Meanwhile, the National Committee for Managing Cases Relating to Torture and Enforced Disappearance has kept Mr. Sayavong’s family and legal representatives abreast of any progress on the investigation, and helped them seek appropriate remedy with the relevant authorities.
- Which State raised the case at the UN and when?
BENELUX raised the case in September 2020 at the 45th session of the HRC under item 5 during the interactive dialogue with the Assistant Secretary-General on the report on reprisals.
- Is the country cited for a "pattern of reprisal" in the context of this case?
- No
- Is a pattern of reprisals mentioned otherwise in the context of this case?
- No
- Does the report cite "self-censorship" as an issue in the context of this case?
- No
- How many times has the case been followed up in subsequent SG reports?
- 2
- In which SG report was this case followed up on? 0
- 2021
- Follow up information provided in SG report 0
- The alleged enforced disappearance of Mr. Od Sayavong was included in the 2020 report of the Secretary-General.243 Mr. Sayavong, a Lao refugee recognized by UNHCR living in Bangkok and a former member of “Free Lao,” a group of Lao migrant workers and human rights defenders in Thailand, had engaged with the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights prior to his visit in March 2019 (THA 8/2019; LAO 2/2019). Special procedures mandate holders had urged the Government of Thailand to clarify the steps taken to locate Mr. Sayavong, in particular given his refugee status.244
- On 11 December 2020, special procedures mandate holders addressed the reported “lack of progress in the search and investigation” of this and other cases (THA 8/2020; LAO 4/2020). The mandate holders noted that, on 22 June 2020, Mr. Sayavong’s family were invited by the Thai Department of Special Investigation to discuss the case and DNA of one family member was collected. The case has been transferred to the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) for investigation as no progress had been made in the case by the local police in Beungkum Police Station. Members of his family expressed concern that Mr. Sayavong’s fate and whereabouts continued to be unknown and noted that his case, which is being treated under the humanitarian mandate of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, remains outstanding (THA 8/2020; LAO 4/2020).
- Followup Trends 0
- Stayed same
- Date of follow up 0
- 11 December 2020
- Did the government respond? 0
- Yes
- Was this case followed up by a UN body? 0
- UN Special Procedures: UN Special Procedures - General
- In which SG report was this case followed up on? 1
- 2022
- Follow up information provided in SG report 1
- The alleged enforced disappearance of Mr. Od Sayavong was included in the 2021 and 2020 reports of the Secretary-General. Mr. Sayavong, a Lao refugee recognized by UNHCR living in Bangkok and a former member of “Free Lao”, a group of Lao migrant workers and human rights defenders in Thailand, had engaged with the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights prior to his visit in March 2019 (THA 8/2019; LAO 2/2019). Mandate-holders addressed the lack of progress in the search and investigation on this and other cases (THA 8/2020; LAO 4/2020). According to information received by OHCHR, during the reporting period, relatives of Mr. Sayavong’s were informed that the investigation on his disappearance was closed citing no new evidence. They were advised that the case file could be re-opened once the family brings new evidence to the police attention.
- On 11 July 2022, the Government responded providing information about the investigation into the allegation of the disappearance of Mr. Od Sayavong. It concluded that all existing evidence and facts indicate neither the death nor whereabout of Mr. Sazavong, and that should there be new evidence or information the investigation could be resumed.
- Followup Trends 1
- Stayed same
- Did the government respond? 1
- Yes