Own all US news!

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/ECA/mongolia-elbegdorj-100.jpg alt= title= /br/p
Amnesty International has welcomed the announcement made by the government of Mongolia on Thursday declaring an official moratorium on executions in the country.br /
br /
The organization said it believes President Tsakhia Elbegdorj has taken a bold move for the protection of human rights in Mongolia and welcomed this important development as a key step toward full abolition of the death penalty.br /
br /
quot;The government of Mongolia has shown that it has a strong commitment to human rights by introducing a moratorium on the death penalty. Amnesty International urges other countries in the region to follow Mongoliarsquo;s example,quot; said Roseann Rife, Amnesty International Asia- br /
Pacific deputy director.br /
br /
Asia continues to execute more individuals than the rest of the world combined. Amnesty International estimates at least 1,838 individuals were executed in 11 countries in Asia in 2008.br /
br /
In China, Mongolia, Vietnam, and North Korea, executions and death penalty proceedings are shrouded in secrecy and a lack of transparency.br /
br /
quot;Mongolia must quickly amend its law on state secrecy to end the lack of transparency in the application of the death penalty. Transparency is an essential element of an open and free society but also an important step towards abolition,quot; said Roseann Rife.br /
br /
The President of Mongolia commuted the death sentences of at least three people in 2009. Executions are carried out in secret in Mongolia and no official statistics on death sentences or executions are made available. Prison conditions for death row inmates are reported to be poor. Families are not notified in advance of the execution and the bodies of those executed are not returned to the family.br /
br /
More than two-thirds of the worldrsquo;s countries have abolished the death penalty in law or practice. In 2008, 106 countries voted in favour of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution calling for a moratorium on executions.br /
br /
quot;We look forward to Mongoliarsquo;s support for the UNGA resolution in 2010 and urge other nations in the region to follow suit,quot; said Roseann Rife.br /
br /
In 2010 Mongoliarsquo;s human rights situation will also be reviewed under the United Nations Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review.br /
br /
The UN General Assembly will consider a third resolution calling for a moratorium on executions in 2010. Mongolia voted against the UNGA resolutions adopted in 2007 and 2008, as has China, India, Indonesia, North Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Japan. In 2008, 106 countries voted in favour of the resolution, 46 voted against and 34 abstained.br /
br /
Amnesty International said it believes the death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and opposes the death penalty in all cases.br /
br /
The organization said that the death penalty is discriminatory, used disproportionately against the poor, minorities and members of racial, ethnic and religious communities and it the ultimate act of state violence. There is no evidence that it is any more effective in reducing crime than other harsh punishments.
/p

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/ECA/mongolia-elbegdorj-100.jpg alt= title= /br/p
Amnesty International has welcomed the announcement made by the government of Mongolia on Thursday declaring an official moratorium on executions in the country.br /
br /
The organization said it believes President Tsakhia Elbegdorj has taken a bold move for the protection of human rights in Mongolia and welcomed this important development as a key step toward full abolition of the death penalty.br /
br /
quot;The government of Mongolia has shown that it has a strong commitment to human rights by introducing a moratorium on the death penalty. Amnesty International urges other countries in the region to follow Mongoliarsquo;s example,quot; said Roseann Rife, Amnesty International Asia- br /
Pacific deputy director.br /
br /
Asia continues to execute more individuals than the rest of the world combined. Amnesty International estimates at least 1,838 individuals were executed in 11 countries in Asia in 2008.br /
br /
In China, Mongolia, Vietnam, and North Korea, executions and death penalty proceedings are shrouded in secrecy and a lack of transparency.br /
br /
quot;Mongolia must quickly amend its law on state secrecy to end the lack of transparency in the application of the death penalty. Transparency is an essential element of an open and free society but also an important step towards abolition,quot; said Roseann Rife.br /
br /
The President of Mongolia commuted the death sentences of at least three people in 2009. Executions are carried out in secret in Mongolia and no official statistics on death sentences or executions are made available. Prison conditions for death row inmates are reported to be poor. Families are not notified in advance of the execution and the bodies of those executed are not returned to the family.br /
br /
More than two-thirds of the worldrsquo;s countries have abolished the death penalty in law or practice. In 2008, 106 countries voted in favour of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution calling for a moratorium on executions.br /
br /
quot;We look forward to Mongoliarsquo;s support for the UNGA resolution in 2010 and urge other nations in the region to follow suit,quot; said Roseann Rife.br /
br /
In 2010 Mongoliarsquo;s human rights situation will also be reviewed under the United Nations Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review.br /
br /
The UN General Assembly will consider a third resolution calling for a moratorium on executions in 2010. Mongolia voted against the UNGA resolutions adopted in 2007 and 2008, as has China, India, Indonesia, North Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Japan. In 2008, 106 countries voted in favour of the resolution, 46 voted against and 34 abstained.br /
br /
Amnesty International said it believes the death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and opposes the death penalty in all cases.br /
br /
The organization said that the death penalty is discriminatory, used disproportionately against the poor, minorities and members of racial, ethnic and religious communities and it the ultimate act of state violence. There is no evidence that it is any more effective in reducing crime than other harsh punishments.
/p

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/ASA/mongolia-riot100.jpg alt= title= /br/The Government of Mongolia has failed to effectively respond to human rights abuses that took place during the July 2008 riot in Sukhbaatar Square, Ulaanbaatar, and its aftermath, leaving a legacy of impunity and injustice, Amnesty International said in a report released on Friday. br /
br /
Amnesty Internationalrsquo;s report describes how hundreds of people were taken to police detention centres where they were held in over-crowded cells without food or water for up to 72 hours during the riots. Police beat detainees while they were in custody and during interrogations to extract ldquo;confessionsrdquo;. br /
br /
Over 700 people were arrested and over 100 more in the weeks following, for suspected offences committed during the riot. br /
br /
One year on from the riot, the scope of the investigation conducted remains limited. Allegations of torture and other ill-treatment in detention, and excessive and unnecessary use of force by police have largely been ignored. br /
br /
ldquo;Investigations into allegations of human rights violations have been delayed, ignored or inadequately investigatedrdquo;, said Roseann Rife, Asia-Pacific Deputy Programme Director at Amnesty International. br /
br /
ldquo;A year on from the riot and there is no accountability on the part of authorities and no justice for the victims.rdquo; br /
br /
Procedures for prosecution of ten police officers and four senior police officials suspected of using and authorizing the use of live ammunition during the riot was stalled by the defendants and their lawyers for over seven months until early November 2009. The case file is now being read by the families of the victims and their lawyers. br /
br /
ldquo;There has been a failure on the part of the Mongolian government to seriously investigate allegations of torture and other ill-treatment of those held in detention following the riot or to prosecute those suspected of carrying out and ordering the use of live ammunition,rdquo; said Roseann Rife. br /
br /
Mongolia has failed to comply with its international obligations which require them to take a range of legislative, judicial, administrative and other measures to prevent human rights violations and bring those responsible to justice and ensure victims receive reparations in line with international standards. br /
br /
The secrecy surrounding the operations of police and other law enforcement agencies is further damaging their reputation leading to mistrust and fear. Such sentiments will persist as long as the authorities fail to take concrete steps to conduct independent investigations and prosecute any alleged perpetrators of offences involving human rights violations, and implement reforms to ensure non-repetition. br /
br /
strongBackground /strongbr /
Amnesty International calls on the Mongolian government to: br /
br /
Ensure that the Special Investigation Unit of the State General Prosecutorsrsquo; Office is provided adequate funding and support to enable it to carry out prompt, independent, impartial and thorough investigations into allegations of offences involving human rights violations against officials and that procedures are in place to ensure that parties involved in the investigation are not able to stall or otherwise delay procedures unreasonably and prevent cases being prosecuted. br /
br /
Ensure that any complaints or reports of human rights violations are investigated promptly, independently, impartially and thoroughly, and that those suspected of related offences are prosecuted. Investigations should be conducted by personnel who are competent, impartial and independent of the alleged perpetrators and the agency they serve. br /
br /
Initiate a review of regulations, policy, and training to ensure that the practices of the police, including the use of force, in policing demonstrations are consistent with international human rights standards, including the UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials and the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms. br /
br /
Establish effective mechanisms to receive complaints, provide timely and accessible information on the progress of cases, and ensure that any person wishing to submit a complaint against law enforcement officials is not in any way obstructed from doing so. Where a complaint is rejected as inadmissible, the complainant should be given clear and detailed reasons for the decision, in writing, and information on appeals mechanisms and alternative avenues of recourse. br /
br /
Ensure that victims of crimes committed by law enforcement officials have access to an effective remedy and receive adequate reparation, including compensation, restitution, rehabilitation, and guarantees of non-repetition in accordance with international standards. br /
br /
On 1 July 2008 thousands of people protested at Sukhbaatar Square amid allegations of widespread election fraud. The riot was unexpected and unexpectedly violent. At least nine people were shot by the police, four fatally, and a fifth person died allegedly from smoke inhalation. br /
br /
The Government called the countryrsquo;s first state of emergency since transitioning to a democratic system of government in 1990 for four days from midnight 2 July, 2008.

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/ASA/mongolia-dp-100×100.jpg alt= title= /br/Amnesty International has welcomed the news that Mongolian prisoner Buuveibaatar has had his death sentence commuted after being granted a pardon by the country’s President, Ts. Elbegdorj. br /
br /
The 33-year-old was found guilty of murdering his former girlfriendrsquo;s new boyfriend in January 2008. His father claims the crime was committed in self-defence. br /
br /
ldquo;We applaud President Elbegdorjrsquo;s pardon, but itrsquo;s only a first step,rdquo; said Sam Zarifi, Director of Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific Programme. ldquo;The Mongolian government should introduce a moratorium on the death penalty and commute the sentences of everyone currently still on death row in Mongolia.rdquo;br /
br /
Buuveibaatar was sentenced to death by the Bayangol District Court in the Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar, on 1 August 2008. br /
br /
The day after the murder, Buuveibaatar was arrested and taken to Bayangol District police station, where he was interrogated overnight without access to a lawyer. His father says that Buuveibaatar confessed to the crime after he was beaten during interrogation in police custody .br /
br /
Buuveibaatar had exhausted all his means of appeal and his life could only be spared pursuant to a presidential pardon. He will continue to serve a prison sentence.br /
br /
At least five people were executed in 2008 in Mongolia, where all aspects of the death penalty are classified as state secrets. br /
br /
The families and lawyers of those on death row receive no prior notification of the execution and the bodies of those executed are never returned to their family. Conditions on death row are reported to be poor. br /
br /
ldquo;Amnesty International calls for the government to promptly implement all measures to move towards abolition of the death penalty, as stated in The National Human Rights Action Programme of Mongoliardquo; added Sam Zarifi. br /