The Government has asked a British advocate to defend
B.Khurts at the next hearing of his trial as the court will not allow a foreign
advocate. It will also bear all expenses for the trial, including hiring a
translator. The Chief of Administration at the National Security Council was
arrested in London on September 17.

The Chief of the Consular Section at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, D.
Gankhuyag, answers questions on the case.

What steps have you taken?
We have hired a reputable lawyer and a translator. We are also in touch with
the Embassy of Mongolia in London. The Embassy is barred from attending the
trial because of international protocol but it can work to help Khurts.

How could Khurts be
arrested despite holding a diplomatic passport?
Mongolia does not have a bilateral agreement with Great Britain on arrest
of each other’s citizens, but both countries are signatories to the Vienna
Convention which should govern the case, and not just British law.

How much would be
spent on the case?
It is not possible to give an estimate now. The Government will bear all
costs.

What happened at the
last hearing?
The judge heard both sides and set the date for the next hearing. It was
all over in 10-15 minutes.

Will the next hearing
be the final one?
We cannot say anything about this as British judicial procedures are different.

When did you receive news of Khurts’s
arrest?
On the same day he was arrested, September 17.