JOURNALISTS
WERE DETAINED
On October 27, daily newspaper reporters G.Erdenebat, B.Khajidmaa,
photographer Ya.Aranjinbaatar of “Udriin sonin”
and photo reporter Sh. Gerelsaikhan of “Ardiin erkh”,
who were covering the civil society demonstration were detained
around 2 hours by policemen.
During the mass arrest policemen assaulted the journalists,
destroyed a photo camera, and confiscated documents, and didn’t
gave any chance for the journalists to explain their purpose.
One of the detainees, Mr. G.Erdenebat of “Udriin sonin”, said,
“No policemen asked us to show the documents, instead they disregarded
them and threw them away. Ms. B.Khajidmaa, a female journalist,
was beaten by policemen with batons, and her face and body were
severely injured. The photo camera was destroyed while the policemen
were trying to confiscate it. Policemen packed us in the car
and brought us to the police station.” Read
more...
IFJ
CALLS FOR AN END TO POLICE BRUTALITY IN MONGOLIA
The International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ) demands a full investigation
into police brutality against journalists in Mongolia, after
police attacked journalists and photographers while they were
covering a civil society demonstration on October 27, and then
detained them for two hours.
According to Globe International, during the mass arrest, police
officers assaulted journalists G. Erdenebat and B. Khajidmaa
and photographer Ya. Aranjinbaatar of the daily Udriin sonin,
as well as photojournalist Sh. Gerelsaikhan of Ardiin erkh,
destroyed one of their cameras, confiscated their documents,
and gave them no opportunity to explain their purpose. Read
more...
JOURNALISTS
BEATEN, CAMERA BROKEN
JOURNALISTS and
a photographer of the Odriin Sonin, one of the country’s
largest dailies, were arrested and questioned by the police
when they were covering civil movements’ protest at Sukhbaatar
Square on October 27. Saying that journalists were beaten up
and cameras broken, the newspaper’s editorial board has
charged the police with using force against media workers on
professional assignment.Read
more...
Globe International NGO conducted the following
monitoring reports and case studies for the first time.
MEDIA
FREEDOM
Mongolia Report
October 2005- October 2006
We are
presenting our first media freedom report to you. We express
many thanks to Open Society Forum and Mongolia and Network Media
Programme of Open Society Institute for the opportunity to make
this report available.
This report aims to give the present picture of media freedom
and show the abilities of Mongolian journalists to exercise
their professional rights and fulfill their duties to the public.
Read more...
PUBLIC
SERVICE BROADCASTING IN THE TRANSITION
Monitoring
Report
The establishment of a public service broadcaster is a significant
and important step taken by the Mongolian authorities towards
the consolidation of freedom of expression, particularly media
freedom over the last 2 years.
Mongolia has been introduced to the idea and concept of public
broadcasting in earlier stages of its democratic transition.
It has been a concern of the supporters of media freedom, media
professionals as well as politicians for 15 years. Several draft
laws were developed by a former President, the government and
political parties.
The results of the 2004 Parliamentarian Elections created a
condition for mutual understanding among political leaders for
the creation of public service broadcasting and its legal environment.
Read
more...
COURT
CASES ON CRIMINAL DEFAMATION
Court case: G.Dashrentsen
Political reporter G.Dashtseren, General chief of newspaper
“Deedsiin khureelen”, was found guilty to crimes of slander
(Article 110, Criminal law) and defamation by means of mass
media (Article 111, Criminal law) of G.Purevbat, a Buddhist
Lama, because of his published article “Movement of black spot
by N.Enkhbayar in the state of Mongolia”, (#31 (449) newspaper
“Deedsiin khureelen” on October, 2005). Thus, the court of Bayanzurkh
district charged him to pay a fine of 2 million 167 thousand
500 tugrugs on June 14, 2006.
Court case: D.Ganhuyag
Journalist D.Gankhuyag was considered guilty to the crime on
spreading libel to the public by means of mass media (Article
111.2, Criminal law) with the purpose of disgracing, because
of publishing his article “Great debt …, 8 million $ … O.Tsolmon?!”,
which related to the matter on the great debt paid by Mongolia
to Russia, newspaper “Mongol times” #8 on March, 2005. Thus,
he was charged a fine of 3 million tugrugs, equal to 75 the
amount of minimum salary, on June 14, 2006. Read
more...
THE
CASES ON ASSAULT AGAINST JOURNALISTS
Case study: Journalist G.Batjav
“Eagle” television
Unknown people beat, acted without discipline and damaged two
teeth of G.Batjav, a correspondent of “Eagle” television, while
he was having lunch in “Aura” restaurant at 12 a.m. on Saturday,
November 10, 2005. After that, his car, which was near his apartment
was broken and damaged in the night of December 19-20, 2005.
The individuals who damaged his car didn’t steal anything and
didn’t require any money or property.
Case study: Journalist B.Tsevegmid
"Nomin" television
Attack against freedom of expression
B.Tsevegmid, correspondent of “Nomin” television in Orkhon aimag,
was hit and his health was harmed by an unknown person while
he was going home after his work in the night from 12 p.m. to
1 a.m. on July 5-6, 2006.
Read more...
2.Public
discussions
PUBLIC DISCUSSION ON DRAFT STATE SECRECY LAW
On November 24, the NGO “Globe International” held a public
discussion on draft Law on State Secrecy. Round 30 people, including
the representatives from Border Protection Authority, General
Customs Authority, General Intelligence Authority, General Police
Authority, several lawyers and civil society representatives,
participated in the discussion on the draft law prepared by
two Project Groups. Read
more...
VIOLATIONS
OF RIGHTS OF INDEPENDENT MEDIA AND JOURNALISTS
On October, 31, Globe International NGO introduced its report
on press freedom in Mongolia, with the purpose of illustrating
the current situationo Mongolian press freedom.
Globe International has registered 35 violations during Free
Expression Violation Monitoring conducted between October 2005
and October 2006.
Even though censorship is banned and the interruption of the
professional activities of journalists is a crime in accordance
with law, it does not work in Mongolia. The various violations
of the journalists’ rights are evidence that Mongolian journalists
work in difficult conditions and complicated situations.Read
more...
PUBLIC
DISCUSSION ON MONGOLIAN NATIONAL BROADCASTING (MNB)
On October 20, Globe Intrernational NGO held a Public discussion
on the ‘Monitoring report for Mongolian National Broadcasting
(MNB) at the Press Institute. 20 representatives from MNB, Open
Society Forum, and the Confederation of Mongolian journalists
participated in the discussion.
Globe International, which is actively involved in developing
the draft law on MNB, paid more attention on the law implementation.
Failures occurred in the process of the law’s implementation
and the public discussion was organized to give concrete advice
and a conclusion for the concerned organizations.
Read more...
2.Events
TRAINING
FOR JOURNALISTS ON BIRD FLU REPORTING
Globe International in collaboration with Internews, the UNICEF
Mongolia and the Ministry of Health organized a 3-day training
for journalists on Avian Influenza reporting from 8-10 November
2006 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
The training that combined both theory and practice helped to
broaden bird flu-related knowledge of 20 journalists /in charge
of healthcare issues and with previous experience in working
in infected areas/ from high risk provinces and the capital.
Read
more...
JOURNALIST'S
TRAINING ON “OPEN INFORMATION BEHIND THE DOOR”
On October
26, the fund “Woman leader” organized a two-day training for
journalists on “Open information behind the door”.20 local journalists
participated in the training where they studied sexual harassment
in the work place, the relevant international laws which resolve
the issue and how to write on sexual harassment.
The head of the “Woman leader” Fund, Ms Bolormaa, said “During
the training journalists got systematic knowledge on work place
sexual harassment and we will work as one group for the protection
of women and girls’ rights. The training was organized in partnership
with the Human Right Commission and Mongolian Women Fund.” Read
more...
3.
Journalists on censorship
MR.
TS MUNKHTUR, MONGOLIAN NATIONAL BROADCASTING (MNB)
Censorship is the influence of editorial independence through
attacks against media freedom and closure of media outlets,
when high officials are sensitive to information affecting their
interests and exposing their wrong-doings. There are also attempts
to control the media through its leaders and editors as well
as with economic pressure. Read
more...
MR.
G. BADAMSAMBUU, MONGOLIAN NATIONAL BROADCASTING (MNB)
Censorship is the distortion of truth and objective information
to make it consistent with somebody’s opinions and interests.
The Government and employers censor the activities of journalists.
The journalists also have self-censorship and distort the objectivity
and information. It happens when the journalists are abused
by somebody, lack the professional skills, include their personal
opinions, or lack information on the issues they report.Read
more...
MR.
Z. ALTAI, CHANNEL 25
I think there are freedom of expression and freedom to publish,
but restrictions are needed for anything. The media and journalists’
activities should be supervised, if it relates to matters of
personal reputations or harms national security. We should not
act like journalists have absolute power. Here we do not censor
our journalists who work within the law. In order to be more
responsible, we take internal control.
Read more...
MS.
L. MUNKHBAYSGALAN, UDRIIN SONIN (Daily News), daily
Censorship is not only the arrest or imprisonment of journalists.
I understand it as poor working conditions, not publishing the
journalists’ materials and restricting freedom of expression.
A few years ago we used to understand that censorship existed,
if journalists were arrested or imprisoned. Now we are aware
of that there are many types of censorship such as psychological
abuse, restriction of our freedom and intervening in our professional
activities.
Read more...
Ms. R. OYUNTSETSEG , PRESS INSTITUTE
Censorship exists because the job descriptions of the media
owners and editors are not clearly developed. The media owner
indicates and instructs what should be published; in other words,
he or she directly influences her or his editor.
Read more...
4.Other
news
GLOBE
SENDS ITS CONDOLENCE ON THE MURDER OF JAPANESE JOURNALIST
Globe
International NGO expresses great sympathy on the murder of
the Japanese citizen Shin Kawasaki, who had been working at
JICA in Mongolia as a volunteer for the National Public Radio
and Television (NPRT). The condolences were published in "Mongoru
Tsushin" /Mongolian news/ a bi-monthly japanese newspaper
of the MONTSAME news agency. Read
more...
MEDIA
ADVICE BOOKLET PUBLISHED
The Open Society Forum (OSF) was set up in 2003 by the Mongolia
Open Society Institute to encourage active participation in
civil society. In June 2004, it became an NGO, also involved
in policy research and analysis.
On October 5, OSF announced that it had translated into Mongolian
various international standards for broadcasting, internet and
media organisations, and had sent copies of its booklet entitled
Quality Management Structure to a number of media organisations.
Read
more...
MONGOLIA 86th IN PRESS FREEDOM INDEX
Following an increase in the instances of physical attacks
on and threats against journalists in the country, the young
democracy of Mongolia has tumbled down the rankings in the fifth
annual Reporters Without Borders Worldwide Press Freedom Index
2006 which was released on October 23.Reporters Without Borders
(Reporters Sans Frontieres or RSF) has put Mongolia in the 86th
place together with East Timor, Liberia, Haiti and Tanzania,
down 33 places from last year’s rank of 53rd. This had been
a jump of 20 places over the 2004 ranking, achieved mainly because
of very few examples of actual interference with journalists
despite continuing government control of the public media. In
2004, Mongolia was in the 73rd place together with Madagascar
and Burundi.
Read
more...
