Former Mongolia leader promotes democracy, press freedom in speech at Club

Former president and prime minister of Mongolia, Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, an ardent defender of press freedom, emphasized the vital importance of journalism and freedom of expression in maintaining democratic societies in an appearance at the National Press Club Thursday, July 25.

Ellbegdorj, who was a key leader of the 1990 Mongolian democratic revolution that ended 75 years of communist rule in Mongolia and who co-drafted the country's 1992 constitution that guaranteed democracy and a free market economy, strongly advocated release of journalists who are in detention in Russia and Mongolia.

“To those who detained journalists, if you're behind the arrest of journalists, I think there is a problem with you, with your authority and with your power -- not with the journalists,” he said. “Don't criminalize journalists. Journalism is never a criminal act. Actually, you are committing a crime.”

Elbegdorj served as president of Mongolia from 2009 to 2017. He previously was prime minister in 1998 and from 2004 to 2006.

Tracing the democratization of Mongolia and his role in it, Elbegdorj said that in the country’s first multiparty elections in 1990, democratic forces received 40% of the vote.  In the next election, he recounted, “we had a big defeat“ and former communists dominated. But four years later, after 75 years of communism, democratic forces gained power and “we occupied most of the parliament,” he said.

Elbegdorj was on the frontline of the first protests in the 1990 revolution that brought together up to 3,000 demonstrators demanding change in the country. Each week the number of protesters grew, and the government was unable to control the crowd.

The demonstrations, along with a court case, gave birth to a new newspaper founded by Elbegdorj, Ardchilal (democracy). Elbegdorj also founded the Mongolia’s first independent television station. Prior to that, Elbegdorj noted, the country had only one TV channel, one radio channel and a government newspaper.

The newspaper, which reflected Elbegdorj’s deep-rooted dedication to democratic values and free speech, was distributed in the streets. People took bundles of the papers to send to the remote provinces in the country, Elbegdorj recalled.

Mongolia’s parliament followed with passage of  law guaranteeing freedom of the press.

In other remarks, Elbegdorj expressed concern over the Ukraine-Russia conflict, North Korea's threats to regional stability and the grave human rights situation in North Korea.

No leader, Elbegdorj told the Club audience, “should attempt to do what Putin did in Ukraine. … Some people say that that’s only a war between Russia and Ukraine. No, (it’s a) war between autocracy and democracy.” 

The fight between autocracy and democracy has been waged foe millenia,” he said. “Now that fight is taking place in Ukraine. Ukraine is paying a heavy price.