A/HRC/43/51/Add.3 Rights, this includes the responsibility of the state to redress infringements that occur outside of their territories, due to the activities of business entities over which they can exercise control. Lao People’s Democratic Republic 408. JUA 25/09/2019 Case no: LAO 2/2019 State reply: 17/01/2020 Allegations concerning the alleged enforced disappearance of Mr. Od Sayavong. 409. PR 1/10/2019 UN experts concerned by disappearance of Lao human rights defender 410. The Special Rapporteur thanks the Government of Lao People’s Democratic Republic for its reply to communication LAO 2/2019, concerning Lao human rights defender Od Sayavong. The Special Rapporteur takes note of the Government’s reported efforts to obtain information on the cases but is troubled by the Government’s assertion that no one knows where Mr. Od was living at the time of his disappearance, since this element was clearly related in the communication sent by Special Rapporteurs to the Government. Information reported in the communication states that Mr. Od was living in Thailand under refugee status granted by UNHCR and describes how Thai authorities had shown CCTV footage of Mr. Od’s residence on the day of his disappearance to two of his housemates in Bangkok at the Bueng Kum police station in Bangkok on 4 September 2019. 411. The Special Rapporteur expresses grave concern about the alleged enforced disappearance of Mr. Od, which appears to be directly linked to his peaceful activities in defence of human rights. He is further concerned that Mr. Od may be at risk of forcible repatriation to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, where he may face significant risks, given persistent reports of arbitrary arrests, trial without due process, and criminal convictions for criticism of authorities or policies, as well as consistent reports of punishment amounting to torture and ill-treatment, a number of alleged victims of enforced disappearances, the lack of a legal framework criminalizing all acts of enforced disappearance, and a pattern of impunity for such acts (Human Rights Committee, Concluding observations on the initial report of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, 23 November 2018, CCPR/C/LAO/CO/1, paragraphs 19, 23, 33). UNHCR’s recognition of Mr. Od as a refugee indicates that he faces a well-founded fear of death or persecution in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. 412. Furthermore, given that Mr. Od met with the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights in Bangkok in March 2019, concern is expressed that his cooperation with the Special Rapporteur may have possibly contributed to his alleged disappearance. Should this be the case, it may be considered as an act of reprisal for Mr. Od’s cooperation with the UN on human rights. Malaysia 413. JAL 10/05/2019 Case no: MYS 2/2019 State reply: 24/01/2020 Allegations concerning investigations into the organisers of a women’s day march in Kuala Lumpur under the Sedition Act, and the summoning for questioning of LGBT+ human rights defender Mr. Numan Afifi in connection with his participation in the 40th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva. 414. The Special Rapporteur thanks the Government of Malaysia for its response to communication MYS 2/2019. 415. With regards to the alleged investigations into organisers of the International Women’s Day march in Kuala Lumpur under the Sedition Act 1948 and the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, the Special Rapporteur acknowledges the Government’s denial that investigations took place under this legislation, but regrets the lack of any further information regarding the legal basis upon which they were investigated. The use of sedition legislation 58