Laos Government
Lieutenant General Choummaly Sayasone
Choummaly Sayasone, first elected in 2006 then reelected in 2011, is president of the Lao People's Democratic Republic. Sayasone is 77 years old, and still holding all of his responsibilities. 1991-2001 he served as Minister of Defense for the Party's Politburo. Sayasone is also the General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) was elected 2006 and reelected in 2011.
Government
Laos is currently a communist state. Because Laos is a communist state the citizens' have limited rights. According to the US State Department, "The situation of human rights in Laos has been, and remains, a recognized cause for serious concern." The government hasn't been giving much respect for the citizens' rights to privacy and freedom of speech. Many officials interfere with religious freedom, by not allowing the people to practice the religion of their choice, only Buddhism is permitted, even though the law clearly states that the citizens' can practice any religion they believe in. Military attacks on innocent citizens, the lack of freedom of expression, torture, poor prison conditions, and unlawful killings have led to many people taking refuge in Thailand. Multiple countries are working together to not have 4,000 refuges sent out of Thailand and back into Laos, many of the refuges are Hmong. The human rights violations in Laos is a problem.