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Families of Australian women killed by 'poisonous shots' in Laos hit out at expected sentences
Authorities may bring charges carrying up to one year in jail as families and Australian officials press for harsher accountability.
- On Thursday, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade informed families that Lao authorities are unlikely to pursue serious charges in the deaths of Australian teenagers Bianca Jones and Holly Morton-Bowles.
- The 19-year-old Australians died in November 2024 after consuming methanol-tainted alcohol at the Nana Backpackers Hostel in Vang Vieng, an incident that killed six tourists and prompted authorities to ban the Tiger alcohol brand.
- DFAT stated the most serious charge likely against Tiger operators carries a maximum one-year prison sentence and a fine, contrasting sharply with potential five-year sentences under Lao Penal Code Article 183 for breaching hygiene laws that prosecutors now seem unlikely to pursue.
- Fathers Shaun Bowles and Mark Jones expressed disbelief and disgust at the proposed penalties, with Mark Jones telling the ABC that "I don't have words for the disgust that I have," and both calling on the Australian Government to intervene.
- Lao Ministry of Public Security officials are expected to outline the investigation's conclusion during a press conference on Friday, while the Australian Government has budgeted $64 million in foreign aid for Laos this year.
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76 Articles
Laos says unable to determine cause of tourists’ deaths linked to tainted alcohol
Laos probes 2024 tourist deaths tied to tainted alcohol, with methanol detected and minor charges filed, while families and foreign ministers condemn the lenient response.
·Dubai, United Arab Emirates (the)
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More than a year and a half after the death of six tourists in Laos after a festive evening, the authorities ensure that they are not able to establish with certainty the causes of the deaths. While recognizing the presence of...
Coverage Details
Total News Sources76
Leaning Left21Leaning Right15Center17Last UpdatedBias Distribution40% Left
Bias Distribution
- 40% of the sources lean Left
40% Left
L 40%
C 32%
R 28%
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