Mongolian Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Against Journalist

(Globe International/IFEX) – On 23 August 2011, judge Ch. Khosbayar of the Sukhbaatar District Court dismissed the charges in a criminal lawsuit against journalist Bolormaa Damdinsuren of “Zuunii Medee” (Century News) newspaper.

Damdinsuren published an article in the paper’s #267 issue, on 8 November 2010, headlined “The director of the ‘Mon Uran’ Company B. Narankhuu is under investigation by the police for sexually abusing teenage girls.”

After the article was published, Narankhuu filed criminal charges against the journalist accusing her of publicly defaming his business and individual reputation.

Narankhuu did not attend the trial himself, but sent a representative on his behalf. The state prosecutor revealed that another individual named G. Narankhuu had been involved in the criminal activities and found the journalist guilty of slander. The prosecutor demanded a four-month sentence. However, the judge noted the journalist did not purposefully defame the company director and therefore the case could no longer be considered a criminal lawsuit. (more…)

French-Vietnamese blogger sentenced to three years in prison

(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders firmly condemns the sentencing of Pham Minh Hoang, a university teacher and blogger with French and Vietnamese dual nationality, to three years in prison and three years of house arrest. The verdict, passed today by a Hanoi court, was based on a charge of trying to overthrow the government. Hoang tried to “undermine national security,” Judge Vu Phi Long said during today’s trial. Hoang has decided to appeal and asks the French authorities to pressure the Vietnamese government to review his sentence, a friend said.

“Pham Minh Hoang should not be in prison,” Reporters Without Borders said. “He is a citizen who just expressed his views on matters of interest to Vietnam. His conviction reflects a dangerous trend in Vietnam towards ‘Chinese-style’ censorship.

“Prime Minister Nguyen Tang Dung, who has just been given another five-year term and has been appointed Security and Defence Council vice-president, has instigated a crackdown that bodes ill for journalists, bloggers and free speech defenders. We urge France and the rest of Europe to make their voices heard so that their citizen can be freed as soon as possible.” (more…)