The Globe International NGO has concerns about a violation of the public's right of access to information in Hovd aimag (province). In October last (2005), an instruction issued jointly by the Hovd Aimag Governor's office and the Hovd branch of the State Professional Inspection Agency blocked transmission of 5 TV channels to about 2,000 households of the ger suburbs.

Since September 2005, the aimag office of the Mongolian National Radio and Television (MRTV) Marketing and Inspection Department (MID) has been broadcasting 5 different TV stations (MNTV, TV-9, TV-5, UBS, and Channel 25) on the third and twelfth channels of the Russian-made 50 and 10 watt relay station at the request of Jargalan soum households.

Aimag social welfare unit officer D. Narandorj and State Professional Inspection Agency Hovd branch inspector P. Otgonbayar announced, �Due to the absence of radio and TV waves, permission to operate the relay has been revoked.

Citizens submitted an official request to Hovd Governor G. Naymdavaa and to MRTV's MID Hovd branch P. Bat-Ochir to assist in receiving unbiased, multilateral information.

Hovd media outlets such as Hovd TV and the Hovdyn Medee (Hovd News) newspaper have been covering the issue intensively, including a November 19 Hovdyn Medee article headed �What about receiving multilateral information.

Mongolian Information & Communication Development Center Radio & TV network director P. Gantumur told Globe International, The Ministry of Finance requested about Tg1.9 billion in the national budget for re-transmission of TV channels to remote areas. We aim to be transmitting television to 140 soum centers by the end of the year.

Under current legislation, anyone wishing to run a rural radio and television re-transmission station must obtain formal approval from the aimag administration.
P. Bat-Ochir had two months earlier submitted an official application to the Hovd governor's office and was reported to be still awaiting a reply. Households are reported to be still wanting television broadcasts on the re-transmission station.

Globe International has sent an official letter to the Hovd Governor G. Nyamdavaa asking him urgently to resolve the situation and to respect the public right to receive information. A copy has been sent to the Mongolian Human Rights Commission, the Communications Regulatory Commission, the MRTV MID, Hovd aimag legal implementation bodies and the Hovd Citizens' Representatives Hural.

In it, Globe International says, Any wrong action or irresponsibility of a government organization or its staff should deny the public its right to seek and receive information, as guaranteed by the Constitution.

The letter also quotes Article 19 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Everyone has the right.....to seek, receive and impart information...through any media and regardless of frontiers.