Bat-Erdene Batbayar (Baabar), a famous ideologist of Mongolian democracy and a well known publicist and politician, was convicted a crime of libeling, according to the Mongolian Police. In the morning of March 24, 2004, a police officer visited Baabar's residence and informed that he was called for a testimony. About a half an hour later, Baabar came at a Police office and was informed that beginning from March 1, 2004 he was convicted a crime of libeling and defaming a good name of Mr.Nyamdorj, the Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs.

Baabar, who was not aware of his conviction for more than three weeks, denied from testimony on the ground that he needed an attorney and he wouldn't give a testimony without his attorney. Then, preceded by a half an hour attempt to extract his testimony without an attorney, the Police Major Sambuu D. allowed him to go until next testimony to take place at 11 a.m. of March 26, 2004.

Baabar, surrounded by journalists, democracy activists and passers-by as soon as he came out of the Police office, made a statement against the political bias of the police investigation practice. "I was libeled many times by the communist rulers including the Minister Nymandorj himself. On those cases, I have brought my complaints to Police numerious times but they were always ignored. Now I am very surprised when Police convicts me a crime for libeling against a Minister. The Police accuses me as if I libeled Nyamdorj as a "spy". In fact, I have said that Nyamdorj did not have the ability to be a spy." Baabar said.

The Police Colonel Adyasuren told journalists that the Police can not give information on Baabar's case because "it is on the case-filing stage."

"It is already too much of these communists! They threaten by police everybody who criticizes them. Maybe only North Korea is now like that." told Ms. D.Tsevelsuren, one of the passers-by who saw Baabar coming into Police office.

Baterdene Batbayar, better known as Baabar, was the Minister of Finance in 1998, a member of the State Great Hural (Parliament) of Mongolia during 1996-2000, authored a famous book Twentueth Century Mongolia which was translated into English and published by the White Horse Press, Cambridge, UK in 1999. One of the most outspoken advocte for democracy, and a critic of communism and authoritarain habits of the Mongolian ex-communist party for last fourteen years, Baabar began his career as an underground writer by mid-1980s. One of his most famous underground writings Buu Mart (Don't Forget!) was a call to remember Mongolian traditions and identity in face of Soviet domination and socialism.