Earlier today (18 June), a Mongolian court decided to detain three more candidates in next week’s parliamentary election. The trial of former PM S.Bayar and other six people started at the Ulaanbaatar’s Chingeltei, Sukhbaatar and Bayanzurkh Criminal Court this morning at 09.00 a.m. The court has imprisoned former Finance Minister S.Bayartsogt who is standing as the parliamentary candidate for the Selenge Province, D.Ganbold from Khuvsgul and B.Byambasaikhan from Darkhan-Uul provinces until 22 June two days before polling day.

However, former Prime Minister S.Bayar has been released on bail for  MNT 525 million.

The Independent Authority against Corruption (IAAC) is investigating into possible abuse of power by certain government officials during the negotiations for the Oyu Tolgoi agreements, namely the Investment Agreement between the Government of Mongolia and Ivanhoe Mines Mongolia Inc LLC and Ivanhoe Mines Ltd and Rio Tinto International Holdings Limited, signed on October 6, 2009, and the Oyu Tolgoi Underground Mine Development and Financing Plan, signed on 18 May 2015.

Former Prime Ministers S.Bayar, who was in office in 2007-2009, and Ch.Saikhanbileg, who led the Cabinet in 2014-2016, have, thus, been put under arrest in the course of the investigation.