Journalists at Mongolian National Public Radio and TV (MNPRTV) are on strike since 14 June 2007. Six out of fifteen members of MNPRTV’s National board have been appointed by the Parliament without nomination from an NGOs’ Forum (convened to nominate board members).
The National board has appointed chiefs of MNPRTV’s divisions and offices without any regard to established selection procedures. In opposition to these unlawful acts MNPRTV’s Ad hoc committee filed a lawsuit against the National board. Although courts of 3 instances have ruled in favor of the Ad hoc committee, MNPRTV’s National board is ignoring this fact and is trying to dismiss many of its journalists under the excuse that they have failed attestation tests, prompting MNPRTV’s journalists to go on strike.
Although in response to the strike MNPRTV’s National board revoked MNPRTV General Director’s decision to dismiss a large number of journalists under the pretext of bad attestation results, the Ad hoc committee viewed this as falling short of their demands and continued their strike.
In connection with the events at MNPRTV, the Mongolian Journalists Union issued a statement on 12 June 2007 in support of MNPRTV Ad hoc committee’s fight. At the same time, the Free Mongolian Journalists Association (which unites journalists from private newspapers) led by member of the MNPRTV National board R. Khadbaatar issued a statement on 25 June 2007 criticizing Ad hoc committee members G. Badamsambuu, D. Narantsetseg and B. Bayar, accusing them of causing disorder at MNPRTV and thereby misleading the public. The statement also demanded that these Ad hoc committee members stop infringing on the reputation of L. Ninjjamts, chief of MNPRTV’s Human Resources Department (member of the Free Mongolian Journalists Association’s Governing board). It is L. Ninjjamts who was appointed as chief of MNPRTV’s Human Resources Department without prior attestation and is considered by the Ad hoc committee to be the initiator of mass dismissals. On 27 June L. Ninjjamts announced she was dismissed by the National board’s decision.
The Parliament set up a working group to look into the events at the Public Broadcasting Service.