A Chinese mining company in Laos' Luang Prabang province, Tianjin Huakan Mining Investment, is holding about 50 villagers ransom, demanding exorbitant payments for their release after they were caught illegally gold digging. The company has faced public outcry following reports of detainees being beaten. Weeks later, it released the detained villagers to local police.

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre intited Tianjin Huakan to respond but the company could not be reached.