Earlier today (6 July), a Mongolian court sentenced former Prime Minister J.Erdenebat to six years in prison for abuse of power and banned him for six years from working in government office. The trial of the politician has been continuing for three days in Ulaanbaatar at the Bayanzurkh, Sukhbaatar and Chingeltei District Court.

J.Erdenebat from the Mongolian People’s Party won a seat in the State Great Khural for a constituency in the Selenge Province in the parliamentary election, which took place on 24 June, while he was still in detention. Subsequently, a bi-election will be held in Selenge to elect a new MP.

J.Erdenebat was imprisoned on 16 June after failing to pay the ridiculously large MNT 10 billion bail issued by the court. The 45-year-old politician was accused of abuse of power for illegally owning protected areas with special licenses in Tost, in the Tosonbulba Mountain Range in the South Gobi Province whilst working as Prime Minister.