D.Tsakhilgaan, a former
ambassador to China and father of Ts.Jargalsaikhan, who was recently sentenced
to 17 years in prison for passing State secrets, said at a   press
conference on Wedenesday that the sentence was too harsh and would very badly
affect the country’s foreign relations. The convicted man worked in
Parliament’s Office.

“My son was given 17 years
in prison according to Article 79 of the Criminal Law for betraying his
country. That article deals with people who join a foreign country’s intelligence
organization to harm Mongolian sovereignty, national security and defense
operations, or cooperate with foreign organization that operate against
Mongolia, or defect to the enemy side during war. What organization did my son join?
Which intelligence organization had enrolled him? Is Russia an enemy? I demand an
explanation. The material he was blamed for giving to others included the plan
of a visit and the text of a speech. Russia and Mongolia are friendly
neighbors. Exchanging the text of speeches is common for friendly nations. There
was nothing about mining, uranium and minerals in the material, as people have
been saying. Parliament’s foreign relations department does not negotiate any
agreements. My son is a victim of miscarriage of justice. We will appeal
against the decision of the preliminary court. I shall also address the heads
of Government of the three countries involved. This case may even cause damage
to the foreign relationships of Mongolia. Some of my friends want to go on
hunger strike if the court does not make the right decision.”

He then answered questions.

What
are the charges against him?

One was that he gave to a
Russian diplomat on June 3 material on a meeting between the Chinese and
Mongolian Prime Ministers. The meeting had been held on June 1 and detailed information
was already available. Then he was charged with giving information about the
meeting between the Mongolian and Russian Prime Ministers that was canceled. He
was also charged with passing the program of the visit of Parliament Speaker
D.Demberel to Russia to meet officials.

Why
do you think your son is the victim of an organized crime group?

He is my only son and is
being sacrificed. It is strange that the Russian side is not giving its side of
the matter. Rumors are circulating that he passed information to China, which
is entirely false because China has nothing to do with it. Why is suck talk being
spread? My son was being spied on since November. Why then did the intelligence
organization not prevent the alleged crime?

What
relations does your son have with the Russian man who is connected here?

They were friends. The Russian’s
father was a diplomat who had worked in Mongolia for ten years. He approached
my son saying, “Our fathers are friends.” He used to write research articles
about Mongolia and Russia and my son helped him by translating some things. It
is being said that he was paid for the translation, that the wife of the
Russian presented a necklace to Jargalsaikhan’s wife, that. Jargalsaikhan
bought a cell phone with two sim cards, using one sim for his secret work. They
even brought out USD 400 from his safe as evidence against him. But that money he
had got by selling his phone to pay the tuition of his child.

Do
you think your son is innocent? Or do you just think his punishment was too
harsh?

I will not say that my son is
totally blameless. Everybody makes mistakes. But his mistake was an error of
judgment and not a betrayal of his country’s interest. He can be punished for
his mistakes but they were violation of government service rules, and not
crimes.