Ulaanbaatar
Media organizations protest increase of defamation fine
Society
Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ Mongolian media outlets joined together in protest after Member of Parliament Ts.Garamjav’s proposition on the amount of fine on defamation was accepted during a Parliamentary Standing committee meeting.
Public attention was essentially directed towards the issue as 16 TV Channels, members of Mongolian Broadcasting Union began the protest in the form of a black-out from 8 to 9 PM on April 26, Wednesday. For one hour, 16 major TV channels didn’t air any program but sent a warning with a text that read ‘Your right to information is under threat’. Today, April 27, national newspapers have joined the protest by channeling the message on their front pages, some news websites joined the protest as well.
The protest aimed to address a certain clause in the revised law on Offence which is due for discussion by Parliament’s plenary session today, April 27. The clause in question concerns defamation, and imposes MNT 2 million fine on an individual for defamation of character on social and mass media and MNT 20 million on a legal entity.
However, Member of Parliament Ts.Garamjav suggested that the amount of fine should be increased 5 times, making it MNT 10 million for a person and MNT 100 million for a legal entity. The Parliamentary standing committee members gave a nod to the suggestion.
As such, around 10 PM on April 26, Wednesday, Member of Parliament Ts.Garamjav made a statement, announcing the withdrawal of her proposition.
Public attention was essentially directed towards the issue as 16 TV Channels, members of Mongolian Broadcasting Union began the protest in the form of a black-out from 8 to 9 PM on April 26, Wednesday. For one hour, 16 major TV channels didn’t air any program but sent a warning with a text that read ‘Your right to information is under threat’. Today, April 27, national newspapers have joined the protest by channeling the message on their front pages, some news websites joined the protest as well.
The protest aimed to address a certain clause in the revised law on Offence which is due for discussion by Parliament’s plenary session today, April 27. The clause in question concerns defamation, and imposes MNT 2 million fine on an individual for defamation of character on social and mass media and MNT 20 million on a legal entity.
However, Member of Parliament Ts.Garamjav suggested that the amount of fine should be increased 5 times, making it MNT 10 million for a person and MNT 100 million for a legal entity. The Parliamentary standing committee members gave a nod to the suggestion.
As such, around 10 PM on April 26, Wednesday, Member of Parliament Ts.Garamjav made a statement, announcing the withdrawal of her proposition.
Kh.Aminaa
