PUBLIC AI Index: ASA 30/001/2005

UA 128/05 Medical/ Legal Concerns/ Prisoner of Conscience 19 May 2005

MONGOLIA Lodoisambuu Sanjaasuren (m) – Lawyer and human rights defender, aged 60

Lawyer and human rights defender, Lodoisambuu Sanjaasuren is suffering from a serious heart condition and is not receiving proper medical attention in prison. He was convicted of the crime of exposing state secrets in November 2004 and sentenced to 18 months imprisonment. Amnesty International considers him to be a prisoner of conscience as he was arrested simply for protecting the rights of his client.

Lodoisambuu Sanjaasuren is being held in a "restricted prison” outside the city of Ulaanbaatar, Bayanzurkh District. He has been convicted of exposing state secrets because he defended a man who had been kidnapped by Mongolian intelligence officers and helped to publicise allegations that his client had been tortured. In April 2005, Lodoisambuu Sanjaasuren lost an appeal against his conviction before the Supreme Court of Mongolia.

Recently Lodoisambuu Sanjaasuren gave a newspaper interview from prison. In response to this incident prison authorities reportedly threatened to move him to a more crowded cell where he would face worse conditions. A reliable source said that Lodoisambuu Sanjaasuren is now “in a critical condition due to his weak heart. Sometimes his heart slows down to near failure. He does not receive any special medical treatment apart from basic medication.”

Lodoisambuu Sanjaasuren defended Enkhbat Damiran, who was kidnapped from France by Mongolian intelligence officers on 15 May 2003. He was a suspect in the murder of Zorig Sanjasuuren, a prominent opposition politician who was stabbed to death in his home in 1998 by unknown assassins. After his abduction, Enkhbat Damiran was taken back to Mongolia and held incommunicado at the General Intelligence Agency (GIA) headquarters in Ulaanbaatar for several days. He says intelligence officers severely tortured him to try to force him to confess to the murder. They also allegedly tried to force him to become an informer. Enkhbat Damiran had no known links to Zorig Sanjasuuren and the Mongolian authorities have not produced any evidence to link him to the murder. (see UA 57/03, ASA 30/002/2003, 5 December 2003)

Lodoisambuu Sanjaasuren helped Enkhbat Damiran to speak on television outlining the details of his kidnap and torture by the General Intelligence Agency (GIA). The authorities responded by convicting both men of revealing state secrets and sentenced both to imprisonment in October 2004. Lodoisambuu Sanjaasuren was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment and Enkhbat Damiran was sentenced to 3 years.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in English or your own language:

- stating that Amnesty International considers Lodoisambuu Sanjaasuren to be a prisoner of conscience who was arrested carrying out his legitimate work as a lawyer and human rights defender;

- expressing concern for his health and asking the authorities to immediately provide him with adequate medical care;

- urging the authorities to release Lodoisambuu Sanjaasuren immediately and unconditionally.

APPEALS TO:

President of Mongolia

Government House

Ulaanbaatar-12

Mongolia

Fax: + 976 11 311121

Email: webmaster@presi.pmis.gov.mn

Salutation: Your Excellency

Mr Elberg Dorj TS

Prime Minister of Mongolia

Government House

Ulaanbaatar-12

Mongolia

Fax: + 976 11 328329

Salutation: Your Excellency

COPIES TO:

Mr Nyamdorj Ts.

Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs

Huldaldaani Gudamj-61A

Ulaanbaatar-46

Mongolia

Fax: + 976 11 325225

and to diplomatic representatives of Mongolia accredited to your country.

Please send letters of support to Lodoisambuu Sanjaasuren at the following address:

Lodoisambuu Sanjaasuren

Prison 425

Amgalan City

Bayanzurkh district

Mongolia

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 30 June 2005.