Country / Topic: Mongolia, Bulgan province
Date: 19 March 2006
Source: Globe International NGO
Person: J.Munkh-Ochir
Type of violation: Threat

Colonel J. Vyachaslav, director of ordinary security prison 439 of the Mongolian General Court Decisions Executive Department in Bulgan province has threatened journalist Mr. J. Munkh-Ochir of the weekly newspaper Zindaa (Rank) for an article entitled “Lacking control of prisoners, published on the September issue, 2005.

At a province executive meeting at the governor’s administration office on March 13, 2006, Vyachaslav said to the journalist, ”Why have you spread false information to the public? Do you know that for this you must be taken to court and punished? I’ll resolve this problem through the law.”

One month ago, at another such meeting, the province police office director gave details about two recent car accidents in the province which possibly involved prisoners of the above prison whom Vyachaslav had allowed to work as drivers. When journalist Munkh-Ochir heard this, he investigated and met policemen Mr. Ganbat and Mr. Bayarsaikhan, who had been assigned to investigate the accidents. The policemen confirmed that prisoners were involved in both accidents. The journalist then published an article in the newspaper.

“Colonel Vyachaslav was deeply concerned that having his secret and irresponsible behavior revealed publicly and threatened me,” Munkh–Ochir told the Globe International monitor.

Background information
Globe International rang the General Court Decisions Executive Department to ask for further clarification on the matter, but was not able to get any response. According to western region Globe International monitor Mr. U. Ragchaasuren the car accidents were still under investigation by Bulgan Province police.