Notification

28April 2004 Ulaanbaatar

We, journalists notify our persistent protest against the Bayanzurkh district court desision of 27 Aprilc2004 on arrest and jail of Ms.A.Erdenetuya, 23, journalist from newspaper "One Day of Mongolia" for 3 months one day in accordance with provision 111-2 of the Criminal Law of Mongolia upon the claim made by Mr.Murun, former police chief, MP.

The Mongolian Union of newspapers condemn the rude interference to freedom of speech and press and intimidation of jornalists using the complaints as if being slandered with outdated sentence of criminal Law wich have not been used in democratic countries during the last 50 years.

We strongly assume the reputation of D.Murun has not been slandered by writing whether Ts.Uugantsetseg was his daughter or not, he has already defamed himself by his false promises that he will reveal Zorig's case and what happened today is a consequence of that journalists reminded him constantliy on his promises. Free fress and free journalism are vital components of democracy and the cases of strangulation of freedom of speech and putting to jail journalists for their words undermine dander of causing doubt whether Mongolia is a democratic country or not.

We, journalists and publishers consider that journalists should be responsible for their publication in accardanse with the Civil Law not with provisions 111-2 and 111-3 of the Criminal Law. We determinedly notify if our member- newspapaers and their journalists would be sentensed again to detention or jail in accardance with Criminal Law for their words we will continue our struggle.