Mongolia: Naran Unurtsetseg’s Arrest Highlights Growing Press Suppression in Mongolia
Around 10 journalists, including zarig.mn's Naran Unurtsetseg, currently under investigation
Location: Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar
Date: December 8, 2023
The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom is deeply concerned about the recent developments in Mongolia concerning the detention of journalist Naran Unurtsetseg, editor-in-chief of the news website zarig.mn, and the subsequent blocking of the website. These actions represent a significant threat to press freedom and freedom of speech in Mongolia. We demand the immediate release of Naran Unurtsetseg and the cessation of all legal actions against her, which we deem to be baseless and a form of intimidation against a journalist performing her professional duties.
On December 1, at the editorial office of zarig.mn in Ulaanbaatar, editor-in-chief Naran Unurtsetseg was arrested following a complaint lodged in relation to an article she had posted on Facebook. In the post on her personal account, Unurtsetseg said it was inhumane to continue a court hearing against an elderly person for hours.
In addition to the detention, a legal and administrative body in Mongolia imposed a block on the access to the zarig.mn website within Mongolian territories, and added the website to the list of illegal domain names.
In response to the detention and the blocking of the website, journalists from zarig.mn held a sit-in protest at Sukhbaatar Square on December 1. The Confederation of Mongolian Journalists (CMJ) said after it submitted demands to the Regulatory Commission of Communications, the Ministry of Digital Development and Communications, the National Police Agency, and the Prosecutor General’s Office of Mongolia, the zarig.mn website was subsequently unblocked on December 4.
Unurtsetseg has been targeted for her journalism work. She faced 12 defamation charges in 2019, followed by four in 2020 — all initiated by politicians mentioned in her reporting. Despite successfully beating most cases, Unurtsetseg still faces a fine of around US$800, roughly the equivalent of two months' salary for the average journalist in Mongolia.
On December 8, Unurtsetseg's lawyers attended a hearing and appealed to the court for the journalist’s release due to unjustified detention. They also raised concerns that some legal provisions may have been violated during the investigation and that the case's investigation was deliberately accelerated.
Media activists have warned that law enforcement agencies and authorities in Mongolia were using Article 13.14 of the Criminal Code to restrict journalists’ capacity to perform their professional duties by investigating and charging them with crimes under the code. Article 13.14, which addresses the spreading of false information and stipulates penalties such as fines or public service, came into effect on January 10, 2020. Since then, numerous journalists have faced accusations of crimes.
CMJ reports that approximately 10 journalists are currently under investigation, including Unurtsetseg.
The detention of Unurtsetseg and the blocking of zarig.mn are seen as part of a broader pattern of restrictions on journalistic activities in Mongolia. The court’s preliminary hearing on proposed restrictions of Unurtsetseg’s professional activities, to fine and impose a penalty and limitations on her free travel rights, is leading to unjust restrictions on journalistic activities and on Mongolian journalism.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom expresses solidarity with Naran Unurtsetseg and all journalists in Mongolia who are facing similar challenges. The ongoing investigations and legal actions against journalists, including the use of Article 13.14 of the Criminal Code to restrict journalistic activities, are alarming. We urge the Mongolian authorities to respect and uphold the principles of press freedom and freedom of speech. We further call on politicians to refrain from submitting complaints about journalists for doing their job. Journalists must be allowed to carry out their duties without fear of retribution or censorship.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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