The young man known for his criticism of the communist regime in Laos through social networks and who was shot last weekend is wounded in a hospital, despite reports that he had died, the humanitarian organization reported Thursday. Human Rights Watch (HRW)
The NGO, which has described the event as suspicious and has called for a "thorough investigation," said in a statement that Anousa "Jack" Luangsuphom, 25, survived two bullet wounds, to the face and chest. , while he was in a Vientiane cafeteria on Saturday night.
"Last night, Anousa's family and other sources provided Human Rights Watch with verbal confirmation and photographic evidence that he survived and is receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Vientiane," HRW remarks, without disclosing his condition, after declaring him dead the day before. The NGO's deputy director for Asia, Phil Robertson, posted the message on Twitter along with an image of the dissident, where he is seen lying on a hospital gurney with a wounded face. "Reports received from multiple sources that Anousa Luangsuphom died on the way to hospital on April 29, 2023 have turned out to be false," he added.
The assault was caught on the cafeteria's security camera. Moments before the attack, the assailant, wearing a mask and dressed in a brown shirt and black cap, used a handkerchief to open the door of the establishment -with the intention of not leaving any traces-. In a first approach, the man stayed at the entrance pretending to have made a mistake and closed the door, at which point he took a pistol from his back with which he re-entered the cafeteria to execute his victim, before realizing on the run
The young man, who died on the way to the hospital, had a popular Facebook page where he openly criticized the Lao government and served as a platform for other people to dare to comment on the communist authorities in this nation.
HRW and other NGOs, such as the Asia Democracy Network, called for a "credible and impartial" investigation into the attack on Anousa, which has not yet been initiated by the Police.
The Communist Party of Laos, the only legal one in the country, exercises tight control over the media, where criticism of the State is not allowed, and has been denounced by NGOs and the United Nations on numerous occasions for violating individual liberties. .
