Considered by many to be the father of the democratic movement in Mongolia in the early 1990s, Mr. Zorig Sanjasuuren was an courageous and outspoken politician, serving as Chairman of the parliament’s Security and Foreign Policy Committee and acting Minister of Infrastructure. When Mr. Zorig was murdered in his home in October 1998, the criminal investigation remained stagnant until, two years later, the case was referred to the IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians.
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In view of the fact that the investigation was not advancing, the Committee felt that an on-site mission might help give it new impetus. With the agreement of the Mongolian authorities, it carried out an on-site mission to Ulanbaatar in August 2001. The mission revealed the widespread belief in Mongolia that Mr. Zorig’s murder was politically motivated – a belief that, interestingly, was also held by authorities.
Several issues were addressed by the Committee as a result of the mission, and the recommendation that various investigative authorities which had been working on the case separately coordinate their work, was subsequently taken up. Furthermore, following up on suggestions made by the investigative authorities themselves, the Committee has consistently advised that foreign experts in criminology be invited to help with the investigation, and offered the assistance of the IPU to identify such experts. The previous Government under Mr. Elbegdorj Tsakhia took up this offer and several member parliaments have since been approached. With the positive responses received from a number of national parliaments, the IPU looks forward to moving ahead in this important process.
The question of impunity remains high on the agenda of the IPU and of the IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians. In an effort to better meet this concern, a specialized parliamentary meeting of chairpersons and members of parliamentary human rights committees will be convened in Geneva in late September this year, with a view to looking at the parliamentary role in combating impunity and ensuring the fair and effective administration of justice.
