AI Index: ASA 26/01/99

Date: 1 April 1999

Distrib: PG/SC

To: Medical professionals

From: Medical Office / Southeast Asia Team

Further information on

MEDICAL LETTER WRITING ACTION

Latsami Khamphoui / Feng Sakchittaphong

LAOS

[also see AI Index: ASA 26/12/98, 15 October 1998,

and ASA 26/05/93, 30 November 1993]

Theme: POCs / ill-health / access to medical care

Summary

On 15 October 1998, Amnesty International issued a medical letter writing action on Latsami Khamphoui and Feng Sakchittaphong following reports that the men were seriously ill and that two other prisoners held in the same prison had died earlier that year.

Amnesty International has still not received any assurances from the Lao authorities that Latsami Khamphoui and Feng Sakchittaphong are being provided with adequate medical care, and fears that the men’s health continues to deteriorate due to the harsh conditions in which they are being held. The organization is urging the government of Laos to immediately and unconditionally release Latsami Khamphoui and Feng Sakchittaphong as prisoners of conscience, and is renewing its calls on the Lao authorities to provide the men with access to the medical care they urgently need while they remain in detention.

Background

Latsami Khamphoui and Feng Sakchittaphong were arrested in late 1990 and sentenced in November 1992 to 14 years’ imprisonment for criticising the Lao Government and advocating political and economic reform in Laos. Both were denied any access to a defence lawyer during their trial. The men are being held in extremely harsh conditions at Prison Camp 7 in a remote mountainous area of Houa Phanh Province in Laos, near the Vietnamese border, which does not have any medical facilities.

Thongsouk Saysangkhi, a former government minister who was arrested and sentenced together with the two men, died in February 1998 after being seriously ill for several months without being given access to the medical care he needed. He had suffered from various ailments throughout his detention, for which he did not receive adequate medical treatment. Another death in Prison Camp 7 was reported in summer 1998.

Recommended Actions

Letters are requested from medical professionals to the addresses given below:

1. introducing yourself as a member of Amnesty International’s health professional network and referring to your earlier letters on Latsami Khamphoui and Feng Sakchittaphong

2. calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Latsami Khamphoui and Feng Sakchittaphong as prisoners of conscience who were sentenced in an unfair trial and are being held solely for the peaceful expression of their political beliefs

3. urging the Lao government to provide information on the current state of health of the two men

4. asking for details of whatever medical care they are currently receiving and calling on the authorities to transfer them to hospital if necessary

If you receive no reply from the government or other recipients within two months of dispatch of your letter, please send a follow-up letter seeking a response. Please send copies of any replies you do receive to the International Secretariat [attn: medical team] and check with your national coordinator or the medical team if you wish to send appeals more than three months after the action has been issued.

ADDRESSES

His Excellency Khamtay Siphandone

President

Office of the President

Vientiane

Laos

Salutation: Your Excellency

His Excellency Sisavath Keobounphanh

Prime Minister

Prime Minister’s Office

Vientiane

Laos

Salutation: Your ExcellencyMajor General Asang Laoli

Minister of Interior

Ministry of Interior

Vientiane

Laos

Salutation: Dear Major General

Governor Somphanh Phangkhammy

Sam Neua

Houa Phanh Province

Laos

Salutation: Dear Governor

COPIES:

Medical Association of Southeast Asian Nations

Secretariat c/o SMA

2 College Road #02-00

Alumni Medical Centre

Singapore 169850

Tel: +65 223-1264

Fax: +65 224-7827

Email: masean@masean.org

and to diplomatic representatives of Laos accredited to your country or the nearest Lao embassy.