Right to know-Right to act
(Expressing opinions in non-violent way)

Handbook for human rights activists and citizens

This handbook is designed to human rights activists and citizens. It provides knowledge about the rights to know and explains the right to express opinions in non-violent way for the. It is first ever published a handbook in Mongolia on these particular citizens rights. It was compiled to inform human rights activists and citizens of their rights and to encourage them to exercise these rights prudently to effect social change. Organizing protest demonstration requires discipline and preparation. And this handbook is as a tool for learning about how to organize a demonstration to make your voice heard.

The first section of the handbook “Right to know and Right to act”provides information about Right to Know and how this right communicate with the right to act. Citizens right to seek and receive information is quaranteed in the Constitution of Mongolia. The right to know is recognized as a basic human right and incorporated into many international declarations. When citizen informed about the government activities, plans and projects that affect their lives, to participate in the process leading to a decision and whatever necessary, to complain and to take actions. Information that obtained by citizens is powerful tool for expressing their views, opinions and demands to the government and public.

The second section “Freedom to peaceful demonstration” introduces legal grounds of peaceful demonstration and basic information of the related local law. The right to freedom of expression protects not only the substance of ideas and information, but also their forms, their carries and means of transmission and reception.
The right to freedom of thought, opinion and expression, speech, press, peaceful demonstration is guaranteed in the Article 16 of the Constitution of Mongolia. The right to peaceful demonstration is one of the basic means of the freedom of expression and one of fundamental political right of the citizen. The section also includes international standards. Relations relating to ensure citizens right to peaceful demonstration, to set up procedures for demonstration, and to provide social order and citizens security is regulated by the Law on Procedure to Be Followed During Public Meetings and Demonstrations. This law contains of definitions of Public, Meeting, and Demonstrations and provides meaning of “Peaceful”. It also provides some restriction on the purposes of the demonstration to be held and places where not allowed to organize it. Indeed, human rights organizations of Mongolia are against some of the restrictions where places to organize public meetings and demonstrations are prohibited.

The third section “Organizing Public Meetings and Demonstrations” provides information about the principles and some issues that they should consider when organize public meetings and demonstrations. It provides basic information about how to prepare and organize action and how to evaluate the action after it ends.

The forth section “Recommendation” gives advice to readers when they face with problems and difficulties from the public authorities and police. Moreover, it provides information on responsibilities of organizers and participants of the demonstration during the demonstration and if their rights, freedoms violated or restricted by the police where they can lodge complains, and so on.

Content of the handbook:
• Right to know and Right to act
• Freedom to peaceful demonstration
• Organizing peaceful demonstration
• Recommendation
• How to deal with problems and difficulties from the public authorities and police.

Citizens' guidebook (Mongolian)