Mongolia - March 2025

On 17 March, Mongolian authorities raided the independent media outlet Noorog, confiscating hardware and personal belongings while interrogating several staff members. While authorities initially accused Noorog of undermining national unity, they changed the specifics of the accusations multiple times. Several journalists were reportedly detained without due process or legal representation. Media experts view the search as a serious attack on press freedom and free speech, particularly following the outlet's announcement of an upcoming documentary on the 2024 parliamentary election. The State Prosecutor’s Office later stated that the legal basis for the detentions was not justified and refused the request for immediate arrests. An investigation into the raids is ongoing, with rights experts noting that this incident marks a concerning decline in press freedom, following the prosecution and arrests of other journalists in the past year.   

Sources: Reporters without Borders, The Diplomat, The UB Post, International IDEA, GoGo Mongolia