Universal Periodical Review of Mongolia – 4 November 2020 – Intervention by the delegation of Estonia

Estonia warmly welcomes the delegation of Mongolia to the UPR.

We thank Mongolia for their work in preparing the report presented earlier. We recognise Mongolia’s work in promoting human rights through the Community of Democracies and encourage Mongolia to continue its dialogue with the civil society.

Estonia welcomes the entry into force of the abolishment of the death penalty for all crimes in 2017, but note with concern the subsequent notion reinstating the capital punishment for certain crimes. We call on Mongolian authorities to reconsider their decision and remove death penalty entirely from their Constitution and national legislation.

We note with concern the reported irregularities in the Parliamentary Elections, the arrests of candidates and politicians during an election campaign, as well as imposing an extraordinarily high threshold for the registration of political parties.

Estonia notes worrisome developments regarding the independence of the judiciary, predominantly since the National Security Council was given the right to discipline judges.

Estonia makes the following recommendations to the Government of Mongolia:

  • Ensure the integrity of the democratic electoral process in the Presidential Elections in 2021;
  • to establish a legal environment protecting the privacy of the victims of sexual abuse and set up a system for professional and safe facilities for victims’ rehabilitation;
  • in reviewing the current Criminal Code and the Labour Code, to consider including provisions on the prohibition of sexual harassment at the workplace in accordance with ILO recommendations;
  • to ensure that journalists, media workers as well as civil society activists are able to practice their activities freely without any fear for punishment in accordance with international standards, including by decriminalizing defamation.

Finally, Estonia very warmly notes the active participation of Mongolia in the Freedom Online Coalition in global fora.

We wish the delegation of Mongolia a successful review meeting.

Thank You!