Background
Two changes in government highlighted the public’s concerns about corruption and government integrity. High-ranking government officials repeatedly made public statements significantly undermining the independence and impartiality of the judiciary.
Right to housing
People affected by development projects in the capital city, Ulaanbaatar, were not given sufficient time and information to engage in negotiations. They were compelled to accept assessments that undervalued their land and property, compromising their livelihoods. Household businesses were undervalued or not appraised, and property valuation reports were not provided. Parliament failed to establish effective mechanisms or provide adequate legal safeguards for affected groups to file complaints and seek remedies in this regard.
Right to a healthy environment
Community engagement consultations for mining projects were often superficial, poorly timed, or inaccessible, despite legal requirements for environmental impact assessments (EIAs).1 Many herders were unaware of EIAs or they were neglected at a local level by state authorities. Mining operations and their associated infrastructure reduced and degraded pasture, fragmenting herders’ migratory routes and grazing areas and threatening the sustainability of their nomadic livelihoods.
Freedom of peaceful assembly
Authorities failed to protect individuals exercising their right to peaceful assembly from attacks by third parties. On 12 January, during a demonstration at Sukhbaatar Square in Ulaanbaatar, law enforcement officials failed to intervene when a group of individuals physically assaulted a protester.2
In May, reports emerged on social media regarding the extravagant lifestyle of Prime Minister L. Oyun-Erdene’s son, prompting public outrage. This ignited a 21-day peaceful youth-led protest calling for the prime minister’s resignation and eventually resulting in the government’s resignation.
A draft law on the Freedom of Assembly and Demonstration, submitted to parliament on 23 January, remained pending at year’s end.
Freedom of expression and association
The Criminal Code was used to impose bans on disseminating information, limiting freedom of expression for human rights defenders, journalists and media organizations. The Constitutional Court, after being asked to consider the legality of basing such restrictions on vague terms like “false” or “misleading”, ruled on 25 November that Article 13.14 of the Criminal Code was unconstitutional.
Right to a fair trial
On 17 March, police raided the office of Noorog Creative Studio, a media agency, seizing equipment and personal phones. According to Noorog staff, they were detained on suspicion of violating Article 19.9.1 of the Criminal Code, which criminalizes acts “disrupting national unity”, and subjected to overnight interrogation. This raised concerns regarding the right to a fair trial.3
Gender-based violence
Decree No. 48, issued on 30 July, established the National Committee Against Violence. The government highlighted this as an effort to address domestic violence, but did not clarify how it would address gender-based violence more broadly, including technology-facilitated gender-based violence. Recommendations for strengthening related legislation were not implemented.
- Mongolia: Suggested Recommendations to Mongolia for its Review during the 50th Session of the UPR Working Group, November 2025, 25 August ↩︎
- “Mongolia: We must protect people who are exercising their right to listen”, 14 January (Mongolian only) ↩︎
- “Mongolia: Targeting one to scare thousands, undermining the right to a fair trial”, 24 March ↩︎
