ASEAN Regional Coalition to #StopDigitalDictatorship
Censoring Dissent:
The 2015 Cybercrime Law
The 2015 Law on Prevention and Combating Cyber
Crime further affords the government power to silence
online criticisms by criminalising vaguely defined
web content including deceptive statements and
statements “propagating to destroy or against the
political regime in order to cause turbulence in society”
or against the government and Lao PDR. “Causing
damages via online social media” is identified as
one of the cybercrimes under Article 8. Particularly,
actions including applying “false,” “misleading” and
“deception information,” and bringing information
“destroying national security, peace, order in society,
national culture and fine tradition of the nation” are
punishable by imprisonment from three months
to three years with fining from LAK 4 to 20 million
($230 to 1,180) according to Articles 13 and 62.5
Restricting Expression on Grounds
of Protecting National Security: The
Weaponisation of ‘anti-state propaganda’
Aside from defamation provisions, a series of
legal provisions and laws prescribe restrictions on
freedom of expression, access to information and
media freedom on the basis of “national security” or
“public order.” Article 117 of the Penal Code (Article
65 of the 2005 Penal Code), known as the provision
We can’t say much. If you
say something bad, you’ll
be accused of trying to
break up the Party and
government. We can’t
talk back to or make
any argument against
the authorities.7
—A resident of Champasak province
Restricting Expression on Grounds
of Combating False Information: The
Weaponization of ‘Fake News’
Decree No. 327 on Internet-Based
Information Control/Management, which
entered into force on Oct. 1, 2014
on “propaganda against the state,” punishes anyone
“conducting propaganda activities against and
The Decree contains a number of provisions that
slandering the Lao PDR, or distorting the guidelines of
unduly restrict the right to freedom of expression
the Party and policies of the government, or circulating
by imposing harsh penalties on online criticism
false rumours causing disorder by words, in writing,
and the circulation of “false information online.” It
through print, newspapers, motion pictures, videos,
criminalises the dissemination and commenting of
photographs, documents, electronic media, or by other
“false or misleading information against the Lao
means, which are detrimental to the Lao PDR or are
People’s Revolutionary Party or the Government”;
for the purpose of undermining or weakening state
“false propaganda” with the aim of undermining
authority”, with one to five years of imprisonment and
social unity and the solidarity among ethnic/minority
a fine from LAK 5 to 20 million ($290 to 1,180). Given
groups and nations; “edited photos and other photos
the imprecision of various aspects of this provision,
that are prohibited under the law of the Lao PDR,
it grants unfettered discretion to the authorities and
including photos discrediting the Lao tradition”;
allows for arbitrary interpretation.6
national secrets, military secrets or “other secrets”
Lao PDR
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