ASEAN Regional Coalition to
POLITICAL PROFILE & CASE STUDY
#StopDigitalDictatorship
LAOS
2023 Political Overview
One-Party Parliamentary Socialist Republic in
theory, authoritarian regime in practice.
Head of State, Head of Government
President Thongloun Sisoulith (de facto power), with Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone.
#JusticeForJack #PowerOfTheKeyboard
#FreeLaos #LaoIssara
Anousa ‘Jack’
Luangsuphom
Luangsouphom
� � � CASE STUDY
Lao youth activist
A murder attempt was carried out to silence a Lao youth
activist for online activism, almost resulting in his death.
This is Digital Dictatorship.
WHEN
Myanmar
Vietnam
29 April 2023 (attack)
Laos
WHERE
‘After School Chocolate & Bar,’ a local cafe in Vientiane,
Laos (site of shooting)
WHO
Anousa ‘Jack’ Luangsouphom, a Lao youth activist.
Thailand
���
WHY/WHAT
� � � �� Jack is a very
Cambodia
prominent youth activist
who ran a Facebook
community page, ‘Power
of the Keyboard,’ that
engaged members in
topics such as corruption,
air pollution, LGBTIQA+,
and government
accountability.
�� �� On 29th April 2023, he
was shot in the face and
chest while he was sitting in a
local cafe. A masked and
gloved shooter approached
the bar Jack was at and fired
shots directly at him, before
promptly leaving.
Malaysia
HOW
⚠ How Digital Dictatorship has caused the violation of
Jack’s human rights:
Lao authorities
responded with
deflections and
denying their own
involvement, such as
by claiming that Jack
was subjected to this
violence because of
personal disputes
related to ‘business’
and ‘romantic affairs
with a girl.’
�� �� The informed public became
available at:
for many reasons. For one, Jack
Manushya Foundation, #NewsUpdate
quickly suspicious of these claims,
openly identifies as gay. Further,
https://www.manushyafoundation.org/post/news-release-justiceforjack
��Jack thanks you for all your
support! #JusticeForJack, (4 May, 2023), available at:
Jack’s case is one of many examples
https://www.manushyafoundation.org/post/news-update-jack-is-aliv
of forced disappearances, violent
e-justiceforjack
attacks, and assassination attempts
made against Lao activists trying to
hold the government accountable
for their actions. To protect him until
he received medical care and made
Manushya Foundation, #JusticeForJack
✊ The Battle for Jack’s Life: A
Journey Across Borders!, (12 May 2023), available at:
https://www.manushyafoundation.org/post/justiceforjack-the-battlefor-jack-s-life-a-journey-across-borders
his way to safety, Jack’s support
system pronounced him dead,
before revealing later on that he was
132
Manushya Foundation, News Release: #JusticeForJack, (2 May 2023),
Arrests, litigation, and the other forms of harassment mentioned in this case study are just
some examples of how Digital Dictatorship has affected the individual(s) mentioned, as well
alive and had sought refuge
outside
as Southeast
Asian societythe
as a Law
whole.
HRDs and/or
journalists,
including
the one(s)
Dawn
of Digital Dictatorship:
Weaponizing
Against
Online
Speech in
Southeast
Asia in this
of Laos.
case study, are often perpetually targeted by Digital Dictatorship in numerous ways that go
beyond just what is discussed here.