Briefing for Diplomatic and International Organizations
2016/04/28
Globe International Center organized on 27 April 2016 Diplomatic Briefing to inform the international community on the process and progress of implementation the UPR recommendations on Freedom of expression and opinion which were delivered during Mongolia’s human rights review in May, 2015. The Diplomatic Briefing is one of the activities within the project on Following-up on post-UPR digital freedoms to be supported by IFEX with the goal to advocate for enabling legal environment for better protection of digital freedom through harmonizing the existing legislation with the ICCPR’s Article 19.
The Diplomatic Briefing was held at UN House and attended by 30 participants and 3 speakers. The Representatives of the International Community included Ms. Beate Trankmann, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, Ms. Daniela Gasparikova, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Ms. Elisabeth Barsacq, Ambassador of French Republic, Ms. Ivana Grollova, Ambassador of Czech Republic, Representatives of the Asia Foundation, U.S. Embassy, Canadian Embassy, UNFPA, UNICEF, WHO, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Taiwanese Representative Office, German Embassy, Embassy of Republic of Korea and Representatives of governmental bodies including Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Communications Regulatory Commission and Information Technology, Post and Telecommunication Authority.
Ms. Beate Trankmann, United Nations Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative delivered opening remarks. In her speech she highlighted the importance of free and independent media in a democratic society. She pointed out Mongolia’s efforts towards enhancing media freedom, election of Mongolia as a UN Human Rights Council Member and highest ranks of Mongolia in the region in terms of acceptance and implementation status of UPR recommendations. However, she stressed that in 2016 Mongolia dropped to 60th position out of 180 countries. The main factor behind this dip is the increased use of provisions in the law criminalizing defamation, which led to a jump in lawsuits against journalists and the blockage of websites - citing pejorative content as a reason she said.
Then Mr. Bilegdorj Dash, Deputy Director of Department of International Legal Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed participants on Governments efforts to implement UPR recommendations. He emphasized that Mongolia has recently been elected as a member to the UN Human Rights Council. He highlighted the Mongolian Government’s commitment of implementation of the UPR recommendations. Member States made a total of 164 recommendations during the UPR second cycle of which Mongolian Government accepted 150.
President and CEO of Globe International Center Naranjargal Khashkhuu presented on Mongolia’s first and second cycles of UPR and recommendations regarding freedom of expression. In her presentation, she informed on Mongolia Human Rights NGO Forum and its activities carried out within UPR cycles. She also introduced an Action Plan of Globe International Center to follow up eight recommendations regarding freedom of expression and opinion, and expected results of the activities.
These recommendations were made by Switzerland, United States of America, France, Germany, Estonia, Czech Republic, Ireland and Austria to align the domestic legislation with international standards, to decriminalize defamation, to adopt the law on protecting confidential sources, to guarantee the online freedom and provide and to provide the independence of the regulatory body.
The Diplomatic Briefing was held at UN House and attended by 30 participants and 3 speakers. The Representatives of the International Community included Ms. Beate Trankmann, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, Ms. Daniela Gasparikova, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Ms. Elisabeth Barsacq, Ambassador of French Republic, Ms. Ivana Grollova, Ambassador of Czech Republic, Representatives of the Asia Foundation, U.S. Embassy, Canadian Embassy, UNFPA, UNICEF, WHO, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Taiwanese Representative Office, German Embassy, Embassy of Republic of Korea and Representatives of governmental bodies including Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Communications Regulatory Commission and Information Technology, Post and Telecommunication Authority.
Ms. Beate Trankmann, United Nations Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative delivered opening remarks. In her speech she highlighted the importance of free and independent media in a democratic society. She pointed out Mongolia’s efforts towards enhancing media freedom, election of Mongolia as a UN Human Rights Council Member and highest ranks of Mongolia in the region in terms of acceptance and implementation status of UPR recommendations. However, she stressed that in 2016 Mongolia dropped to 60th position out of 180 countries. The main factor behind this dip is the increased use of provisions in the law criminalizing defamation, which led to a jump in lawsuits against journalists and the blockage of websites - citing pejorative content as a reason she said.
Then Mr. Bilegdorj Dash, Deputy Director of Department of International Legal Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed participants on Governments efforts to implement UPR recommendations. He emphasized that Mongolia has recently been elected as a member to the UN Human Rights Council. He highlighted the Mongolian Government’s commitment of implementation of the UPR recommendations. Member States made a total of 164 recommendations during the UPR second cycle of which Mongolian Government accepted 150.
President and CEO of Globe International Center Naranjargal Khashkhuu presented on Mongolia’s first and second cycles of UPR and recommendations regarding freedom of expression. In her presentation, she informed on Mongolia Human Rights NGO Forum and its activities carried out within UPR cycles. She also introduced an Action Plan of Globe International Center to follow up eight recommendations regarding freedom of expression and opinion, and expected results of the activities.
These recommendations were made by Switzerland, United States of America, France, Germany, Estonia, Czech Republic, Ireland and Austria to align the domestic legislation with international standards, to decriminalize defamation, to adopt the law on protecting confidential sources, to guarantee the online freedom and provide and to provide the independence of the regulatory body.