The Laotian government announced the arrest on June 4 of Belgian photojournalist Thierry Falise, Frnech cameraman Vincent Reynaud, and their Hmong guide, Naw Karl Mua, a U.S. citizen and a pastor from St. Paul, Minnesota.
A press freedom group expressed deep concern about the safety of two European journalists detained in Laos on murder charges, while Amnesty International demanded assurances that they would not be tortured.