Country/Subject: Mongolia/Date: 18 September 2006
Source: Globe International
Person(s): Mrs U. Gereltuya,
Target(s): journalist(s)
Type(s): Threat

(Globe International) � A northern region journalist of Huvsgul province and her coworkers have repeatedly received threats from a businessman concerning a critical publication.

U. Gereltuya, editor of the Huvsgul-based newspaper Khuvsguliin erkh chuluu (Freedom of Khuvsgul), which has approximately 500 subscribers, said �We repeatedly receive threats and are insulted by businessmen.�

For instance last year Mr L.Tumurbaatar, director of Khuvsgul Geology Company and owner of Dalai Eej newspaper, threatened U.Gereltuya concerning a publication that he was lobbying a judge for selecting his newspaper as �best media of the year�.

In another case last year, unidentified people in a car, passed through the fence one of the journalist�s houses. �We reported it to the police but they didn�t reveal the criminals. We are still receiving threats concerning our publication,� she said.

Khuvsgul province is located in the north part of Mongolia, more than 600 km from the capital of Ulaanbaatar. According to the Press Institute�s journal �Mongolian Media 2005,� the province has two newspapers which are issued three times a month.

According to Mr Samadiin Hunchi, director of Uvs province�s Sama TV, �The province with 87 thousand people had a few media outlets. Because we are not frequently aired or publish any critical articles we haven�t received any threats. Uvs province is located in western Mongolia, more than 1300 km from the capital of Ulaanbaatar and has two newspapers, two FM radio stations and one television station.