ASEAN Regional Coalition to #StopDigitalDictatorship for human rights and denounce Lao authorities’ violations and human rights abuses.79 On August 9, 2022, after weeks of intense activism on Facebook with regards to two leaks from the Nam Theun ‘Free Laos’ Democracy Group: disappearing and being killed, one after the other 1 dam in Laos, his account was restricted for 29 Members of the ‘Free Laos’ democracy group, days, purportedly for violating Facebook Community comprising Lao workers and pro-democracy activists Standards.80 In September 2022, the Head of residing in exile in Thailand, have become a prominent Department of Public Relations of Lao PDR issued target of the Lao government, due to their online and an official report on Akaravong’s case in which the offline activism and calls for democracy.82 Since Lao government admitted to having monitored his August 26, 2019, Od Sayavong, a Lao democracy account and attempted to have it suspended or activist and refugee in Bangkok, has gone missing. disabled. The same report disclosed that the Lao Known for his activism, Od actively exposed human Department of Cybersecurity had requested the Lao rights violations and corruption in Lao PDR (Laos). A Embassy in France and the Lao Ministry of Foreign few months before his disappearance, Od met with Affairs to track down Akaravong, and “educate” him. the UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Throughout October 2022, Joseph Akaravong issued Human Rights in Bangkok in March 2019, ahead of seven Facebook posts on a very controversial issue: the Rapporteur’s mission to Lao PDR (Laos). Od was he revealed that the Lao businesswoman who was also planning to stage a protest during the ASEAN murdered and whose body was found on Sept. 29, People’s Forum (APF) held in September 2019 in 2022, in a suitcase floating in the Mekong River, had Thailand.83 After the enforced disappearance of Od a close relationship with the Lao Prime Minister. His Sayavong, some members of the ‘Free Laos’ group Facebook posts generated important online debates ceased their online activism and gradually relocated in Lao PDR (Laos) and resulted in the creation of to a third country for their safety between 2019 several fake Facebook accounts by Lao authorities, and 2022. However, in January 2022, Khoukham impersonating Joseph Akaravong, and sharing Keomanivong, one of the co-founder of ‘Free Laos’ false scandalous news, including sexual insults on democracy group was arrested by the Thai police in Lao human rights activists and diaspora. On Oct. Thailand and faced deportation to Lao PDR (Laos) 25, 2022, Joseph Akaravong’s authentic Facebook where he was wanted by the Lao government for account was abruptly deactivated without prior his online and offline activism. He was thankfully notice. Multiple fake accounts impersonated him, bailed out and relocated to Canada in March 2022. spreading false narratives about him and his work. Following appeals from the Manushya Foundation, In 2023, Manushya observed a surge in violence and Meta reinstated Joseph’s account on Nov. 12, 2022 repression against Lao activists, a trend that aligns recognising it as an HRD account. As of December with the inauguration of the new Lao Prime Minister, 2023, Joseph has not encountered any significant Sonexay Siphandone, who assumed office in December issues with his account. 2022. This escalation in brutality against activists 81 likely aims to quash any dissenting voices that could tarnish his authority and reputation, ‘particularly in anticipation of Laos’ 2024 Chairmanship of ASEAN.84 Lao PDR 137