The European Parliament…
1. Expresses its deep concern about the disappearance, safety and well-being of Sombath Somphone;
2. Is concerned about the tardiness and lack of transparency of the investigation into the disappearance of Sombath Somphone; calls on the Lao authorities to undertake prompt, transparent and thorough investigations, in accordance with their obligations under international human rights law, and to ensure the immediate and safe return of Sombath Somphone to his family;
3. Calls on the HR/VP to closely monitor the Lao government’s investigations about the disappearance of Sombath Somphone;
4. Asks the Lao authorities to reaffirm publicly the legality and the legitimacy of the work for sustainable development and social justice, in order to counter the intimidation provoked by disappearances such as of Sombath Somphone;
5. Welcomes the visit of a group of ASEAN parliamentarians to Laos in January 2013 to seek information about Sombath Somphone and calls on the ASEAN Human Rights Commission to establish an inquiry Committee to investigate the events surrounding the enforced disappearance of Sombath Somphone;
6. Calls on the EU to put Laos among its priorities for the 22nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council;
7. Stresses that the Lao authorities should take all necessary steps to end the practice of arbitrary arrests and secret detention; calls on the Lao authorities to make enforced disappearance a criminal offense and to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance; stresses that enforced disappearances are clear violations of basic human rights and fundamental freedoms;
8. Calls on the Government of Laos to respect the rights of expression and association, the rights of minorities and protect the right to freedom of religion or belief ending all restrictions on the exercise of this right, as recommended at the UN Universal Periodic Review on 21 September 2010;
9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the ASEAN Secretariat, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Government and Parliament of Laos.
From Resolution of European Parliament passed unanimously on 06 February 2013.