Discussion
Information Transparency, State and Official Secrets

The aim of the successive discussion events is to promote the exchange of information and opinions on media law between the above-mentioned target groups. During the previous two discussions, media law in general as well as some regulations of the Administrative Offenses Act were discussed.

Dr. Ts.Tsogt - Head of the Administrative Law Committee of the Mongolian Lawyers Association -, Dr. D.Sunjid - lawyer and member of the above-mentioned committee - and Mr. B.Turbold - member of the above-mentioned committee - participated in the discussion and held discussions with journalists. At the beginning of the event, Mr. B.Turbold gave a presentation on "Information Transparency and Official Secrecy" and commented on the possibilities and cases in which some information should be kept secret in the interest of the public.

According to the Information Transparency and Right to Information Act passed in 2011, state authorities are obliged to provide the public and media with information about their activities. However, the right to information granted is restricted under the pretext of official secrecy.

The former Act on State Secrets was amended and renamed the Act on State and Official Secrets. According to the new law, each authority determines its own official secrets by means of an order. This gives the authorities the option of keeping information that is not legally classified as secret secret. Furthermore, the differences between state and official secrets are not entirely clear.

During the discussion, opinions were exchanged on the implementation situation of the laws, on information transparency and law and on state and official secrets, as well as on the challenges in exercising the right to information and their possible solutions. Participants emphasized the importance of increasing the legal knowledge of journalists.