Capital punishment in Mongolia
Encyclopedia
Capital punishment
remains in force in Mongolia
, one of 58 countries (out of 197) listed by Amnesty International
as maintaining the death penalty in practice. The method of execution is a bullet to the neck
.
Five crimes remain liable to the death penalty: "terrorist acts committed for political purposes; terrorist acts against representatives of a foreign State for political purposes; sabotage; premeditated murder committed with aggravating circumstances; and rape with aggravating circumstances". Only men aged between 18 and 60 at the time of the crime may be executed; women are not subjected to the death penalty. The government has considered abolishing the death penalty for all crimes except premeditated murder with aggravating circumstances.
Amnesty International reports that Mongolia -like China, Vietnam
, Malaysia
and Singapore
- practices executions in secrecy. The family of the prisoner is not informed of the date of the execution, nor of the place of burial. 45 people were sentenced to death in 2007, but the number of executions was not revealed by the authorities. Five people are thought to have been executed in 2008.
In June 2009, Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, an abolitionist
, was elected President of Mongolia
. He began using his prerogative of pardon
to prevent the application of the death penalty. On January 14, 2010, he announced that he would, henceforth, systematically use his prerogative to pardon all persons sentenced to death. He stated that most countries in the world had abolished the death penalty, and that Mongolia should follow their example; he suggested that it be replaced with a thirty year prison sentence. The decision was controversial; when Elbegdorj announced it in Parliament, a significant number of represesentatives chose not to give the applause customarily due after a presidential speech.
Thus, at present, Mongolia has a moratorium on the death penalty, but -as noted by Le Monde
- President Elbegdorj "may find it a lot more difficult" to have the death penalty abolished in law. The death penalty may be applied again if Elbegdorj fails to be reelected.
Currently (June 2011), there are plans to abolish the death penalty completely (Text [in German]: http://www.ots.at/presseaussendung/OTS_20110609_OTS0275/mongolischer-besuch-im-hohen-haus-zweiter-nr-praesident-neugebauer-empfaengt-aussenminister-zandanshatar ).
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
remains in force in Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
, one of 58 countries (out of 197) listed by Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
as maintaining the death penalty in practice. The method of execution is a bullet to the neck
Execution by shooting
Execution by shooting is a form of capital punishment whereby an executed person is shot by one or more firearms. It is the most common method of execution worldwide, used in about 70 countries, with execution by firing squad being one particular form...
.
Five crimes remain liable to the death penalty: "terrorist acts committed for political purposes; terrorist acts against representatives of a foreign State for political purposes; sabotage; premeditated murder committed with aggravating circumstances; and rape with aggravating circumstances". Only men aged between 18 and 60 at the time of the crime may be executed; women are not subjected to the death penalty. The government has considered abolishing the death penalty for all crimes except premeditated murder with aggravating circumstances.
Amnesty International reports that Mongolia -like China, Vietnam
Capital punishment in Vietnam
Capital punishment is a legal form of punishment in Vietnam. Capital punishment is a special penalty only applied for persons who commit serious crimes. The death penalty cannot be applied to juvenile offenders, pregnant women and women nursing children under 36 months old at the time the crime...
, Malaysia
Capital punishment in Malaysia
Capital punishment in Malaysia applies to murder, drug trafficking, treason, and waging war against Yang di-Pertuan Agong . Recently, the law has been extended to include acts of terrorism. Any terrorists, and anyone who aids terrorists, financially or otherwise, are liable to face the death...
and Singapore
Capital punishment in Singapore
Capital punishment is a legal form of punishment in Singapore. The city-state had the highest per-capita execution rate in the world between 1994 and 1999, estimated by the United Nations to be 1.357 executions per hundred thousand of population during that period. The next highest was Turkmenistan...
- practices executions in secrecy. The family of the prisoner is not informed of the date of the execution, nor of the place of burial. 45 people were sentenced to death in 2007, but the number of executions was not revealed by the authorities. Five people are thought to have been executed in 2008.
In June 2009, Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, an abolitionist
Capital punishment debate
The use of capital punishment, frequently known as the death penalty, is highly controversial.-Retribution:Supporters of the death penalty argued that death penalty is morally justified when applied in murder especially with aggravating elements such as multiple homicide, child murder, torture...
, was elected President of Mongolia
President of Mongolia
The President of Mongolia is the head of state of Mongolia. The Constitution of Mongolia implements a parliamentary system, so while much of the President's role is ceremonial, he or she does wield significant political power.-Election:...
. He began using his prerogative of pardon
Pardon
Clemency means the forgiveness of a crime or the cancellation of the penalty associated with it. It is a general concept that encompasses several related procedures: pardoning, commutation, remission and reprieves...
to prevent the application of the death penalty. On January 14, 2010, he announced that he would, henceforth, systematically use his prerogative to pardon all persons sentenced to death. He stated that most countries in the world had abolished the death penalty, and that Mongolia should follow their example; he suggested that it be replaced with a thirty year prison sentence. The decision was controversial; when Elbegdorj announced it in Parliament, a significant number of represesentatives chose not to give the applause customarily due after a presidential speech.
Thus, at present, Mongolia has a moratorium on the death penalty, but -as noted by Le Monde
Le Monde
Le Monde is a French daily evening newspaper owned by La Vie-Le Monde Group and edited in Paris. It is one of two French newspapers of record, and has generally been well respected since its first edition under founder Hubert Beuve-Méry on 19 December 1944...
- President Elbegdorj "may find it a lot more difficult" to have the death penalty abolished in law. The death penalty may be applied again if Elbegdorj fails to be reelected.
Currently (June 2011), there are plans to abolish the death penalty completely (Text [in German]: http://www.ots.at/presseaussendung/OTS_20110609_OTS0275/mongolischer-besuch-im-hohen-haus-zweiter-nr-praesident-neugebauer-empfaengt-aussenminister-zandanshatar ).