A/HRC/45/2 465. The Lao People’s Democratic Republic provided detailed explanations on recommendations noted: 466. The Lao People’s Democratic Republic supported recommendations to consider ratifying the International Labour Organization’s Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189) and the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. However, it needed more time to study the conditions to become party to the other conventions as recommended. 467. The Lao People’s Democratic Republic reiterated its engagement with the Council’s special procedures. It recalled its cooperation with such mechanisms in the previous cycle and said that it will continue to extend invitations on a case-by-case basis and readiness of both sides. 468. The Lao People’s Democratic Republic explained that it had already established several mechanisms to promote and protect human rights in the country, including the National Committee on Human Rights, the National Commission for the Advancement of Women and Mothers-Children and the National Committee on Persons with Disabilities and the Elderly. According to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the current environment called for keeping existing domestic mechanisms, while maintaining good cooperation with international and regional human rights mechanisms. 469. With regard to recommendations to adopt comprehensive legislation on antidiscrimination, the Lao People’s Democratic said it was making notable progress. The Constitution explicitly prohibited discrimination on various grounds. Additionally, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic had adopted specific laws and legislations with provisions on anti-discrimination against women, gender equality promotion, and non-discrimination against persons with disabilities, ethnic and religious groups. Nonetheless, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic said it was not ready to support recommendation number 46 for this cycle. 470. Regarding LGBT rights, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic said it did not restrict or prohibit them from social activities. However, it did not support the recommendations, which were not in line with its national cultural values and morals. 471. Concerning recommendations to establish a de jure moratorium on the death penalty, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic reiterated that it had implemented a de facto moratorium for many years. It recalled that, in 2017, the National Assembly had thoroughly debated and voted on the issue and the result was in favour of keeping the death penalty in the Penal Code that was adopted and promulgated in 2018. 472. On the recommendations to amend legislation on the rights to freedom of speech, expression and information, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic could not support the recommendations to remove the few limitations in the Law on Media and other legislation because they did not restrict Lao people from expressing its views in society. Rather, those rights to freedom of expression should be fully enjoyed with a heighten sense of ethics and morality, in line with Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 473. As for recommendations to investigate cases of enforced disappearance, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic could not support them as official investigation orders must be issued based on a credible claim, factual information and evidence. Regarding the case of Sombath Somphone, the Investigation Committee has continued to investigate with the purpose of bringing the perpetrators to justice. 474. The Lao People’s Democratic Republic stressed that all ethnic groups were equal before the law without any discrimination and the State respects and protects all religious activities and believers. For that purpose, the Government had adopted Decree 315 on Administration and Protection of Religious Activities, after extensive consultations with religious groups. 83