Mongolia: RSF presents its recommendations to strengthen ambitious press freedom bill
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) welcomes the Mongolian government’s draft law on press freedom. While some areas of the proposed legislation need further refinement, it is a positive step forward to ensure the freedom, independence, and plurality of Mongolian journalism is better guaranteed.
In October 2024, Mongolia’s Ministry of Justice introduced plans to reform the country’s Law on Freedom of The Press, originally passed in 1998. According to the government, the reform aims to foster the development of a diverse media landscape full of reliable journalism and tackle the country’s recent decline in press freedom, highlighted by Mongolia’s drop in the RSF World Press Freedom Index by 36 places since 2020. Mongolia currently ranks 109th out of 180 countries and territories in 2024.
“This is a welcome, ambitious piece of legislation that seeks to address critical issues for Mongolian journalists. In RSF’s view, while some improvements could be made, the draft law provides a good basis for upcoming Parliament discussions. By adopting this law, Mongolia would demonstrate its commitment to press freedom and the public’s right to reliable information despite the pressure of being a landlocked nation geographically surrounded by the authoritarian regimes of Russia and China.
RSF’s five main recommendations to strengthen Mongolia’s proposed press freedom law
- Clarify the definition of journalism: Clearly distinguish journalists, who adhere to specific ethical codes as employees of a professional media organisation, from individuals who publish public-interest information without having to comply with the same level of professional ethics and self-regulatory scrutiny.
- Guarantee media independence: Ensure that neither the state nor media regulatory authorities can interfere with editorial decisions or exert pressure on journalists and independent media.
- Enhance source protection: Extend protections to all newsroom staff with access to any information that would allow for the identification of journalists’ sources. In particular, exceptions to these protections must be strictly limited so as to protect journalists from undue surveillance through spyware.
- Promote self-regulation standards: Endorse both nationally and internationally recognised standards that strengthen the transparency and reliability of journalistic reporting, such as the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI), and create legal and/or economic incentives for Mongolian media service providers to facilitate adherence to such self-assessment and certification programmes.
- Increase transparency in media ownership and funding: Require the full disclosure of media ownership, including indirect state ownership, as well as details concerning public funding, particularly state advertising.
