The Office of the President of
Mongolia announced on June 8, 2012 that Mongolian President Tsakhia Elbegdorj
called on the United Nations, European Union, United States and its other
global allies to support Mongolia´s efforts to clamp down on public corruption.
Earlier this spring, following widespread public reports of misdeeds,
Mongolia´s Independent Authority Against Corruption (IAAC) called for the
arrest of former Mongolian president Nambaryn Enkhbayar after the former
official refused to receive subpoenas which detailed numerous
corruption-related violations of the Mongolian Criminal Code.

Since the IAAC´s first subpoenas
were issued to Mr. Enkhbayar over one year ago, in May of 2011, the IAAC
initiated 27 separate investigations, ranging from embezzlement to extortion
and bribery; of these ongoing investigations, the IAAC has initially charged
Mr. Enkhbayar with five offenses. President Elbegdorj urges the country´s
democratic allies to recognize the need for due process of law in Mongolia
while an open judicial process moves forward on the charges.

Since his April 13th arrest, Mr.
Enkhbayar has had unfettered access to legal counsel as well as both domestic
and international news media. He has been treated with respect and accorded his
full human rights and protections afforded to any criminal defendant under
Mongolia´s Constitution. Now out on bail, Mr. Enkhbayar´s trial is set to begin
on June 12.

The independent General Election
Commission of Mongolia (GEC) ruled on June 6, after an 8-1 vote, that Mr.
Enkhbayar was ineligible to run for a seat in Parliament due to the pending
criminal allegations against him. The GEC is an autonomous body with a head
appointed and members approved by the Parliament.

Much of the international coverage
of this case has been wildly inaccurate, distorted by a sophisticated public
relations campaign on Mr. Enkhbayar´s behalf. In fact, Mr. Enkhbayar has been
treated with great respect and personal dignity. To counter erroneous reporting
of the facts relating to the investigation, arrest, and charges against him by
Mr. Enkhbayar and his supporters, Mongolian President Tsakhia Elbegdorj today
issued the following statement:

“My first decree as the
President of Mongolia was to call for promoting and enhancing civic education
to affirm democracy, freedom and human rights as fundamental values of the
Mongolian people. I have also acted to effectively end Mongolia´s use of the
death penalty, and late last year our government was recognized by U.S.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for our civil rights commitments. This
spring marked the 25th anniversary of open Mongolia-U.S. relations and a shared
belief in a commitment to the rule of law, governing transparency, and the
sanctity of human rights. As with the support that our American allies have
provided Mongolia in deepening the roots of democracy, it is our hope that the
U.S. as well as our European allies will acknowledge and support Mongolia´s
work to end the scourge of corruption that otherwise will hinder the progress
of our democratic system.”

“Mongolia´s growth into a
mature democracy requires continued work to eliminate the scourge of corruption
that plagues too many of the world´s developing countries. Mr. Enkhbayar´s case
is one of nearly 20 high profile corruption cases. Freedom and corruption
cannot co-exist together. And freedom, human rights, rule of law are
non-negotiable, as is the fight against corruption. The law should apply
equally with no preferential treatment for anyone. It is a core principle of
democracy that no one is above the law, and that includes everyone from high
government officials to ordinary citizens,” said President Elgebdorj.

“I urge citizens of democratic
nations around the world to follow the trial carefully, consider the facts as
they are presented, and avoid rushing to judgment until the evidence against
Mr. Enkhbayar has been publicly laid out in a court of law. As Mongolia
continues her progression into a modern, democratic society, we will need the
support of our allies and the democratic world. It is crucial that Mongolia´s
allies pay close attention to the facts revealed during the trial of Mr.
Enkhbayar.”

“On June 28, Mongolians
throughout the country will exercise their democratic rights to cast their
ballots for their choice to represent them in parliament. We invite the world
to witness our unyielding commitment to democracy, human rights, and the rule
of law by coming to Mongolia to enjoy unrestricted access to observe our
electoral process.”

“Whether Mongolia shall prevail
as a free, open beacon of human rights, or whether she shall fall into
injustice and corruption is an issue of pivotal significance at this juncture
of Mongolia´s development, ” concluded President Elbegdorj.

Mongolia´s anti-corruption entity,
the Independent Authority Against Corruption (IAAC), was established in 2006
during the presidency of Mr. Enkhbayar, and is headed by a former police
officer. Today, the IAAC stands to ensure transparency and accountability in
government, and advance the goals of the U.N. Convention against Corruption
(UNCAC). The Authority has a chairman and deputy appointed by the Parliament,
which is controlled by the Mongolian People´s Party (MPP), which Mr. Enkhbayar
previously led.