As Mongolians prepare to vote in their third democratic national elections since the collapse of communism, a report has highlighted widespread and continuing human rights violations in this country landlocked between China and Russia. Arthi Patel, a former Sydney lawyer who helped prepare the report by the Mongolian Centre for Human Rights Development, said the transition to political democracy had not been matched by many of the country's institutions. The country subscribes to 29 international human rights treaties and international law is fully incorporated. The report is especially damning of Mongolia's judicial system and its poorly paid judges. It is common for judges to be open to personal influence.
Lawyers often advise their clients to pay gifts to judges in order to secure a favorable verdict.
Ms Patel said the Mongolian Government had yet to respond to the findings, but she expected a somewhat explosive reaction when it does. While the report is damning, it was not intended to be party political, affecting the election outcome. The report is based in part on interviews with the victims of legal abuses in a country where 60per cent of people live close to or below the poverty line. Most Mongolians are denied the country's 1200 lawyers because they cannot afford them. There is modest provision for legal aid, but even where people are aware of their rights they are often blocked by the police.