Earlier today (11 June), Democratic Party of Mongolia released a statement demanding the release of imprisoned election candidate N.Nomtoibayar. The statement noted that the imprisonment of N.Nomtoibayar – who has different opinions to those of Prime Minister U.Khurelsukh – is a violation of the Election Law and threatens equality, justice, freedom, and respect of law which are the basic foundations of Mongolian democracy.

Later today (11 June), the trial of N.Nomtoibayar is to be held open for public at the Khan-Uul Distric Court in the Mongolian capital.

On 28 May, N.Nomtoibayar was sent to the 461st Detention Centre under a decision by the Primary Criminal Court of the Bayanzurkh, Sukhbaatar and Chingeltei Districts of the Mongolian capital. Previously, N.Nomtoibayar has been banned from leaving the country. According to the judges, and prosecutors providing evidence, N.Nomtoibayar stands accused of intimidating an investigator. However, the young politician’s lawyer said that N.Nomtoibayar stands falsely accused; he was only talking with the investigator by phone. Furthermore, the judges themselves broke the law for detaining a candidate without reporting it to the General Election Commission.

N.Nomtoibayar received his candidate certificate from the GEC on 22 May to run for the Khan-Uul District of Ulaanbaatar. His trial had been scheduled on 26 June – after the election!

Mongolia will hold its parliamentary election on 24 June.