Alert — Mongolia
13 December, 2010

SOURCE: Globe International NGO
On November 5, 6, and 8, 2010, a news producer and other staff members of the Eagle TV station received phone calls from officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The callers claimed that the TV station had broadcast inaccurate comments on the 3-hour live webcast from the UN 9th assembly of the UPR working group in Geneva, November 2. The officials also claimed that after the airing of the live webcast, the Government public reputation had been damaged. They demanded a copy of the webcast.
On November 2, 2010, the Mongolian human rights situation was reviewed and discussed by the UN Human Rights Council. The Eagle TV station transmitted the live webcast direct from the internet source.

The first part of the session was aired without interpretation or comment. After the speech of Mr D. Tsogtbaatar (Ministry of Foreign Affairs State Secretary) the website was broadcast with Mongolian interpretation,  up to the end of the webcast.
Mr B. Monkhoo, Head of the Press and Information Office of the Ministry, told the TV station, “After your live program, other media outlets claimed incorrectly that the UN Human Rights Council had criticised the Mongolian Government. Therefore you must broadcast a denial, that the interpretation was incorrect.”

“None of these requests and comments were received through officially channels,” Eagle TV pointed out.
Globe International considers that this incident contravenes the democratic principles of freedom of speech, expression and opinion, and the right to seek and receive information, as laid down in the Constitution of Mongolia and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which was ratified by Mongolia in 1974. 

Source:
Globe International NGO
Chingeltei district, 6th khoroo,
Diplomat 95 Complex, Entrance 6, #70, 
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Phone: +976 11 324764, +976 11 324627
Fax: +976 11 315326
E-mail: hnaran@globeinter.org.mn
           globenews@globeinter.org.mn
           globe@globeinter.org.mn,
Web site: www.globeinter.org.mn 

More information:
Human Rights Council,  Ninth Session of the Universal Periodic Review, 1 - 12 November 2010, Review of Mongolia  www.upr-mongolia.mn