The
Human Rights Sub-Committee met yesterday to discuss all the information it has
gathered on four specific aspects of human rights violations following the
violent incidents of July 1, 2008. The information came from its investigation
of 47 complaints from those arrested after the events, from testimony given at
an open hearing, and from interviews with some of those charged, lawyers and many
who were present when the violence erupted. All this will be included in the
comprehensive report the Government will place before a UN body.

The
four aspects were: the mass arrest after a state of emergency was
declared.  It was found that many of
those arrested were beaten up. Police personnel testifying at the open hearing
did not deny this.

The
second related to extraction of forced confession and use of false promises to
get information. 

The
third was the charge of bias against judicial organizations, alleging that
prosecutors had followed orders from above on how to proceed, instead of
conducting an impartial investigation. 

The
fourth issue was the use of fire arms.

MP
Z.Enkhbold wondered why prolonged investigation had failed to identify those responsible
for the fatal shooting of five people. No charge was framed against anybody on
the ground that it was not possible to identify which specific individual fired
any of the fatal bullets.

 At yesterday’s meeting, MP D.Choijilsuren said
the issue of the use of fire arms had been kept out of the purview of the open
hearing. He also demanded access to the report prepared by a working group led
by MP U.Enkhtuvshin, which has been submitted directly to the National Security
Council. He also regretted that there was no reference to the destruction of property
or to the injuries sustained by 570 policemen. No proper discussion of the
matter is possible without these, he said.

MPs
Kh.Temuujin and J.Sukhbaatar explained that the issue of use of fire arms could
not be covered as it was under investigation by the prosecutor general. As for the
group led by Enkhtuvshin, its mandate was not human rights were violation, but
the performance of judicial and security organizations during the state of
emergency and whether it was right to open fire. The issue of injured police
personnel was important but it was one for the Government to settle. Still, the
subcommittee had probed the matter. The Ministry for Internal Affairs said they
are still working on the issue while the police complained of official inaction.
The ministry has, however, given monetary compensation to the injured policemen
and the cost of rebuilding the MPRP headquarters was met from the budget.

Temuujin
also revealed that they had not taken up for consideration any complaints about
police action during the violence as the brief of the subcommittee extended
only to events after people were arrested.

It
was decided that a report would be submitted to the Standing Committee on
Legislation. MP B.Bat-Erdene suggested that the matter should end with the
sub-committee since Parliament is already overburdebned.