Taipei, August 13, 2024—Mongolian authorities should not contest the appeal filed by Zarig news site founder and editor-in-chief Unurtsetseg Naran challenging her conviction on multiple charges, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Tuesday.
“The Mongolian government must halt its escalating use of lawfare against journalists and protect their rights to report,” said CPJ’s Asia Program Coordinator Beh Lih Yi. “Unurtsetseg Naran’s reporting serves the public interest by exposing government corruption and wrongdoings. She should not be punished for it.”
Unurtsetseg, who was arrested in December 2023 and released to house arrest in February, was sentenced on July 19 to four years and nine months in prison during a closed-door trial on charges of spreading false information, tax evasion, money laundering, disclosure of personal information, and acquisition of state secrets.
In a July 24 opinion piece in The Guardian, Unurtsetseg denied the charges and said she didn’t expect a free trial in Mongolia. Unurtsetseg is well-known in Mongolia for uncovering corruption scandals, sexual abuses in Buddhist boarding schools, and violence in the military.
In 2019 and 2020, Unurtsetseg faced 16 defamation suits brought by politicians mentioned in her reporting. Despite winning most cases, she was still fined approximately US$800.
The Mongolian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice did not immediately respond to CPJ’s email requesting comment.