E/CN.4/2005/61/Add.1 Page 42 (a) On 11 August 2004, Nouhak Phoumsavan, an adviser to the President, reportedly held a meeting in Savannakhet City aimed at preventing Christians from gathering in homes throughout the province. Reports indicated that the believers were only allowed to assemble in church buildings that had government permission to operate. Believers in the whole of Champon district reportedly were allowed to meet in only one church; (b) On 2 August 2004, Khamsay and Thong Soun, two Christian leaders from Vieng Samay village, and Khamphaay and Pheang, two Christians from Hua Muang village in Kasy district, were reportedly arrested because of their faith. It was further reported that, on 8 June 2004, the authorities ordered the believers in Vieng Samay village to stop meeting and confiscated their Christian literature; (c) As from 1 August 2004, the Chonburi district chief reportedly ordered Christians to cease meeting in the Gyongya church, which had been a place of worship for many years. Reports indicated that the believers had been told that they were not allowed to worship unless they obtained permission from the central authorities; (d) On 2 May 2004, a house church that had operated without problems for two years in Vientiane was reportedly ordered to close. About 45 people who came to the church that day were told that they would not be able to meet there any more; (e) In March and April 2004, the police forced Christians in Nam Thuam village to remain at home and prevented them from tending their rice fields. The authorities then insisted that the Christians feed them everyday. It was reported that, at the end of this ordeal, the authorities burned their rice fields and took their citizenship papers. This persecution was so intense that it allegedly succeeded in forcing the believers to officially resign from the Christian faith. 164. By letter dated 7 January 2005, the Government responded that, regarding the alleged arrest of four individuals in Kasy district on 2 August 2004, the concerned authorities, upon verification, had found that the four accused were held in custody for investigation. The result of the investigation showed that they had defrauded people in Houamuang village and that the affected villagers had filed a lawsuit against them. At the time of the reply, their case was still pending in the Kasy District Court. These four individuals were detained not because of their faith, but for their wrongdoing. The Government indicated that it remains committed to respecting people’s rights, including religious rights, in accordance with its national Constitution. Thus, arresting a person simply because of his or her religious belief would be a breach of the Constitution. The right is fully guaranteed and no one has ever been arrested on account of his religious belief, except for acts that violated the laws and regulations of the country. 165. Regarding the Christians allegedly ordered to cease meeting in Gyonya church in Xonboury district as from 1 August 2004, a house church allegedly ordered to close in Vientiane on 2 May 2004 and Christians in Nam Thouam village allegedly forced to remain at home and prevented from tending their rice fields in March and April 2004, the Government declared that these allegations were false and groundless. Recalling that the allegations of mistreatment of Christian believers by the Lao