Mongolia: Parliament abolishes death penalty

On 5 January 2012, Mongolia abolished the death penalty when its Parliament passed the Law on Ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia applauds the decision of the Government and expresses its gratitude to all partners who walked shoulder-to-shoulder to advocate against the death penalty.

Over a number of years, the Commission has conducted a number of studies on the use of capital punishment, both on its own and in partnership with civil society organisations such as Amnesty International.

The Commission has consistently advocated for abolition of the death penalty, especially through its annual reports on the situation of human rights and freedoms in Mongolia.

In making its recommendations, the Commission has referred to the conclusions of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, who visited the country in 2005, and United Nations treaty body observations that advised the abolition of death penalty in Mongolia.

After reviewing the Commission’s annual reports, the Standing Committee on Legal Affairs of the Parliament made resolutions in 2008 and 2010 requesting the Cabinet to take actions to implement the Commission’s recommendations.

Date: 8 January 2012

Source: National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia