Globe International Center noted that recent court decisions involving a newspaper and several activists favor the rights of citizens to freedom of expression and peaceful demonstrations.
Globe International Center welcomes recent court decisions in favor of the rights of citizens to freedom of expression and peaceful demonstrations.
On 18 October 2021, the civil defamation case brought against Ugluunii Sonin (Morning Newspaper) daily newspaper was dismissed by the Chingeltei District Civil Court of First Instance. The court decision was based on the abandonment of a claim by the plaintiff, a state-owned company called Mon-Atom. The company filed a civil defamation lawsuit against the newspaper over an article of 22 April 2021 titled ‘Uranium hazards are destroying Dornogovi’s migratory gazelles’, written by environmental journalist Ulziibayar Sanjaajav, and demanded that the newspaper publish a retraction and pay 100 million Mongolian tugrik (approx. US$38,065) in compensation.[1]
Furthermore, on 11 January 2022, the Capital City Criminal Court of Appeals dismissed a case brought against Amartuvshin Dorj and others for organizing a flash mob in protest against the restrictive pandemic regulations of the government in June 2021. Amartuvshin informed the public about the court decision through his social media accounts. Earlier, on 18 November 2021, the First Instance Court of Sukhbaatar District ruled that Amartuvshin Dorj and others had acted in violation of quarantine protocols, and imposed a fine of 500.000 Mongolian tugrik (approx. US$190).[2]
Likewise, on the same day (11 January 2022) the First Instance Criminal Court of Sukhbaatar District dismissed a case launched against Odbayar Erdene and Mongolkhuu Davaajamts, coordinators of #NoDoubleStandart and #NoNaadam movements. Previously, they were accused of illegal demonstrations by the District Police Department.
Meanwhile, the implementation of the Law on Coronavirus (COVID-19) prevention, fight, and mitigation of its socio-economic impact of 2020, which puts certain restrictions on fundamental rights including the right to free expression and the right to peaceful assembly, has been extended until the end of June 2022.
