The Standing Committee on Legal Affairs of the State Great Khural discussed the 2025 report on torture prevention at its meeting on March 31, 2026.

Presenting the report, Tselmen Yadamjav, commissioner in charge of torture prevention at the National Human Rights Commission, said the fourth annual report was prepared based on monitoring, training, advocacy, inter-agency cooperation, official data, and international assessments. The report includes eight chapters and 14 recommendations.

In 2025, monitoring activities covered over 11,000 kilometers, with 65 inspections conducted and 1,709 individuals interviewed or surveyed. A total of 51 recommendations containing 474 provisions were issued to relevant authorities, with an implementation rate of 85 percent.

The report identified persistent issues, including poor sanitary conditions in detention facilities, violations of living standards, prolonged placement in fixed positions, limited access to healthcare, inappropriate conduct and ethical violations by officials, restricted access to complaint mechanisms, and shortcomings in surveillance data storage.

Interviews and surveys also revealed recurring cases of intimidation, verbal abuse, psychological pressure, and unethical treatment by officials toward persons deprived of liberty. Since 2022, 46 recommendations have been submitted to the Court Decision Enforcement Agency, with some cases referred for investigation due to potential criminal elements.

Over the past four years, 229 complaints and reports related to torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment have been received. Between 2022 and 2025, a total of 605 training sessions and discussions were held, reaching 96,190 participants. In 2025 alone, 386 training sessions on the right to be free from torture were conducted, involving 55,335 people.

The report noted that although Mongolia criminalized torture in 2015 for all public officials, a lingering perception remains that it applies only to investigators, prosecutors, and judges. It also highlighted insufficient efforts to raise public awareness and prevent violations, with excessive focus placed on post-incident investigation rather than prevention.

Deputy Secretary General of the Parliament Secretariat, Erdenebat Ganbat, stressed the need for better planning and implementation aligned with UN recommendations to achieve tangible results through multi-stakeholder cooperation and by addressing the root causes of torture.

Chairman of the Standing Committee Tsogtbaatar Damdin emphasized that while progress has been made, further efforts are needed to strengthen the national human rights protection system and advance torture prevention at a broader, systemic level.

Published Date:2026-04-01