Prominent human rights defender Sukhgerel Dugersuren is facing an investigation for alleged collusion with foreign agents. She has been consistently advocating for the rights of communities that are resisting destructive projects.
On 2 August 2022, the General Intelligence Agency of Mongolia informed Sukhgerel Dugersuren, a human rights defender and Executive Director of the Mongolian organizations Oyu Tolgoi Watch and Rivers without Boundaries Mongolia, that she is under investigation for committing crimes under the Mongolian Criminal Code Article 19.4, which prohibits “illegal cooperation with a foreign intelligence agency agent.” Sukhgerel is being subjected to a clear criminalisation process, whereby the law is used to limit civic freedoms and punish human rights defenders.
It is hard to believe the accusation against a peaceful activist known for her free speech in Mongolia. This signals an alarming deterioration of the human rights situation in the country.
Although no other details around the investigations have been shared, Globe International Center (GIC) fears Sukhgerel might be at risk of imminent arrest and we are deeply concerned for her safety.
Sukhgerel Dugersuren is an internationally renowned human rights defender and she has a long record of exposing human rights abuses and defending the rights of herder and rural communities in Mongolia. Her courageous and inspirational work is admired by scores of international and local civil society organizations, as well as UN Special Rapporteurs and experts, who have closely worked with her.
On 3 August 2022, during a government briefing, Mongolia’s Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs, H. Nyambaatar, said that when development projects are interrupted by a civil society organization or person, then a task force should be established to investigate these cases as ‘sabotage’ under Criminal Code Article 19.6 and that the government could claim compensation for the lost economic opportunity. The Minister’s statement could be construed as a direct threat of reprisal against human rights defenders like Sukhgerel. It also sends a very chilling message to all individuals and communities peacefully raising concerns or opposing harmful projects, especially in a context where several environmental activists have already been threatened.
GIC urges Mongolian authorities to stop all attempts to target, criminalize and stigmatize individuals, including Sukhgerel Dugersuren, for expressing concerns or their views about development projects.
GIC also urges authorities to publicly recognize the importance of freedom of expression, meaningful participation, unimpeded access to information on development projects and environmental impacts, and the need to ensure a safe and enabling environment for human rights defenders, by publicly stating that communities must be able to defend their right to a healthy environment and that human rights defenders are indispensable allies who should be supported.
