Country / Topic: Mongolia
Date: 28 January 2006
Source: Globe International NGO
Person: M.Odgerel
Type of violation: Assault

Mr. D. Sukhbaatar, former deputy head of the Dornod aimag branch of the National Emergency Management Agency, has been threatening female journalist M. Odgerel of the Dornod Newspaper. In the last few months he has been sending messages to her mobile phone such as, ”I have been watching you and your family. I’ll settle your hash.”
Odgerel at the end of last year published an article headed “Slander worth a million: unlawful action by Mr Sukhbaatar” after considerable investigative work.
D. Sukhbaatar was informed about the article before publication and called editor-in-chief Mrs. B. Tuya demanding that it not be published.
Other aimag officials repeatedly rang Tuya with the same demand. Sukhbaatar invited Odgerel to a dinner and offered presents.
Article 139 of the Criminal Code states: “It is a crime to interfere with the lawful professional activities of a journalist with the aim of promoting one’s own interest.” Section 2 of the same article states: “If officials commit this action using the privilege of their position” it is subject to criminal charges.
Under this legislation, Sukhbaatar and the other aimag officials, by trying to influence a journalistic activity, are believed to have committed a criminal offence.

More information

Mr D. Sukhbaatar is now subject to a criminal charge, that he misused his official position for his own interests.

Globe action

Globe International is releasing this information to alert the public to a violation of the rights of a journalist.
Globe is also sending a letter of complaint to the Dornod aimag governor, to legal implementation organizations and to the Mongolian Human Rights Commission.