State senior investigator files criminal lawsuit against TV9 channel, Mongolia

A criminal defamation case has launched against TV9 channel and its crew of the documentary that disclosed the corruption facts.

TV9 Channel aired a corruption story about the illegal privatization of “Ulaanbaatar” printing’s building located in the city center in a documentary titled “Detective-2” on December 17, 2011. The documentary based on evident sources and analyzed the facts of corruption related to high officials. The main purpose of the documentary is to call on and urge the police into the investigation of the corruption facts and corrupted officials as the television crew explains.

On December 22, 2011, P.Otgonjargal, a police major of the State Investigation Authority who is currently in charge of investigation of the privatization facts filed a criminal defamation claim at the Sukhbaatar District Police Department.

TV9 documentary creative team involving, senior producer D.Turmunkh, reporter N.Binderya, director N.Bayarsaikhan and presenter L.Erdenebaatar as well as Ts.Enkbat, TV9 director were questioned by the police as witnesses. The main questions of the police were “What is the purpose of the documentary? Who is behind you?” Police vaguely responded and threatened with a possible forcible detention of the witnesses.

Mr.O.Baasankhuu, an attorney protests the police action and stresses that demand of the police to repeal the information sources is a violation of the main principles of press  freedom. He assumes “Currently, journalists who gave witness stand are under a threat of becoming a possible criminal suspect basing on their witness testimonies. This act is a serious violation of the Constitutional guarantee of the human rights and it also breaches the Law on Criminal Procedure of Mongolia.”

He says: “The current case is the perfect and drastic example where there is no protection of journalists and how journalists become a victim of harassment by the ill powers.
The action of the police shows how role of the press for the public interest is undermined as well as the ability of the press to provide accurate and reliable information may be adversely affected”.

Globe International calls the police to stop this arbitrariness and respect for the rights of independent media and the law on Media Freedom which bans any type of censorship. <Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia=Globe International>

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