Manjaagiin Ichinnorov
Encyclopedia
Ichinnorov Manjaa is a Mongolian civil rights activist, born in the Khovd Province of Western Mongolia
. She was awarded the Mahatma Gandhi Award “For Fighting against Social Injustices with Peaceful Means” in September 2007 by the Government of India
. She was also awarded the Eisenhower Fellowship Leadership Award in 2005 and the Mongolian Professional Fellowship Award by the Open Society Institute
in 1999. She was educated at the National University Law Faculty, Irkutsk, Russia and awarded JD and Masters Degree in Law, September 1988-June 1993; American University Washington College of Law
, Washington DC and awarded Masters Degree in International Legal Studies, June 1999-August 2000; and was a Senior fellow at Harvard University
, John F. Kennedy School of Government
January 2006- May 2006. She has practice law
in Mongolia since 1997.
She has undertaken and won several landmark strategic litigation and human rights
advocacy cases in Mongolia, which have reformed the legal system, such as the following cases:
• 2002. “Erdene-Ochir Case” - Strategic Litigation on Judicial Reform
The first Mongolian strategic litigation case successfully tried and won in 2002. A man wrongfully convicted of murder
and sentence
d to death penalty by three levels of courts (Soum, Aimag and Supreme Court) was freed through this strategic litigation case. The main goal of this case was to change old communist mentality of judges, promote the principle of “innocent until proven guilty”, right to proper defense, principle of independence and fairness of the judiciary. As a result of this case, the procedures of trials have been changed and evidence must be compelling for the initiation of a trial.
• 2003. “Ganbat Case”- Strategic Litigation and Advocacy Case for Prison and Detention Center Reforms in Mongolia.
Young man died in a notorious detention center of Tuv aimag by contracting tuberculosis in his 2 years of lengthy detention while he confessed for his crime. The victim was never provided medical help from the State after requesting medical help during his 9 times of interrogation when his health was in extreme danger. For the first time in Mongolia, Ms. Ichinnorov Manjaa initiated a civil law suit against the Tuv aimag Police Department and Prosecutor’s Office. This case lead to prison and detention center reform in Mongolia and Detention Centers came under the auspices of the Judicial Decision Execution Authority from the State Police Department. Living conditions have changed and medical help has been provided for detainees who have major health problems.
• 2006. “Bolorchuluun Case”- Strategic Advocacy and Awareness on Women’s Rights Issues.
A beautiful young woman murdered in the hands of her partner after becoming a victim of defamation article in a newspaper, which featured her to have HIV/AIDS
and spreading it around intentionally. She was also a victim of sexual harassment in local government custom office in Selenge aimag. Ms. Ichinnorov Manjaa created a documentary film and strategic litigation case against the person who murdered the victim. This documentary film was an excellent case study in Mongolia educating people on women’s rights issues, especially hidden issues of sexual harassment and domestic violence. In addition, she aimed at raising awareness on judicial injustice and media ethics. Through this strategic case the defendant was successfully tried in court and justice was served. This case created awareness for media professionals for respect for human rights and dignities. The documentary film “In Search for Justice” successfully participated in a number of international human rights film festivals.
• 2007. “Ariuntsetseg Case”- Strategic Litigation and Advocacy Case for Criminal Law Reform in Mongolia.
Seventeen year old young woman with a 17-days old baby was sentenced to imprisonment for 10 years and 5 months for stealing 1,500 tugriks (equivalent of 1 USD). Amended 2005 Criminal Code of Mongolia had harsher criminal sentences for repeated incidents and minimum imprisonment was 10 years for stealing cases no matter the amount of damage done to society. This strategic litigation case was a high-profile case that attracted public and media attention. Law and policy-makers were very interested in this case and used as an example of scale of justice as compared to justice for the rich and poor. The main aim of this case was to create awareness on the equality before the law and court, advocate the principles of humane and just punishment, alternative sentencing and reform the Criminal Law and whole criminal justice system in Mongolia. The President of Mongolia, M. Enkhbayar, pardoned the woman and this was the most successfully tried case in Mongolia that people learned about a new concept of strategic litigation.
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...
. She was awarded the Mahatma Gandhi Award “For Fighting against Social Injustices with Peaceful Means” in September 2007 by the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
. She was also awarded the Eisenhower Fellowship Leadership Award in 2005 and the Mongolian Professional Fellowship Award by the Open Society Institute
Open Society Institute
The Open Society Institute , renamed in 2011 to Open Society Foundations, is a private operating and grantmaking foundation started by George Soros, aimed to shape public policy to promote democratic governance, human rights, and economic, legal, and social reform...
in 1999. She was educated at the National University Law Faculty, Irkutsk, Russia and awarded JD and Masters Degree in Law, September 1988-June 1993; American University Washington College of Law
Washington College of Law
American University Washington College of Law is the law school of American University. It is located on Massachusetts Avenue in the Spring Valley neighborhood of northwest Washington. WCL is ranked 50th among law schools by US News and World Report...
, Washington DC and awarded Masters Degree in International Legal Studies, June 1999-August 2000; and was a Senior fellow at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, John F. Kennedy School of Government
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school, and one of Harvard's graduate and professional schools...
January 2006- May 2006. She has practice law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
in Mongolia since 1997.
She has undertaken and won several landmark strategic litigation and human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
advocacy cases in Mongolia, which have reformed the legal system, such as the following cases:
• 2002. “Erdene-Ochir Case” - Strategic Litigation on Judicial Reform
The first Mongolian strategic litigation case successfully tried and won in 2002. A man wrongfully convicted of murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
and sentence
Sentence (law)
In law, a sentence forms the final explicit act of a judge-ruled process, and also the symbolic principal act connected to his function. The sentence can generally involve a decree of imprisonment, a fine and/or other punishments against a defendant convicted of a crime...
d to death penalty by three levels of courts (Soum, Aimag and Supreme Court) was freed through this strategic litigation case. The main goal of this case was to change old communist mentality of judges, promote the principle of “innocent until proven guilty”, right to proper defense, principle of independence and fairness of the judiciary. As a result of this case, the procedures of trials have been changed and evidence must be compelling for the initiation of a trial.
• 2003. “Ganbat Case”- Strategic Litigation and Advocacy Case for Prison and Detention Center Reforms in Mongolia.
Young man died in a notorious detention center of Tuv aimag by contracting tuberculosis in his 2 years of lengthy detention while he confessed for his crime. The victim was never provided medical help from the State after requesting medical help during his 9 times of interrogation when his health was in extreme danger. For the first time in Mongolia, Ms. Ichinnorov Manjaa initiated a civil law suit against the Tuv aimag Police Department and Prosecutor’s Office. This case lead to prison and detention center reform in Mongolia and Detention Centers came under the auspices of the Judicial Decision Execution Authority from the State Police Department. Living conditions have changed and medical help has been provided for detainees who have major health problems.
• 2006. “Bolorchuluun Case”- Strategic Advocacy and Awareness on Women’s Rights Issues.
A beautiful young woman murdered in the hands of her partner after becoming a victim of defamation article in a newspaper, which featured her to have HIV/AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
and spreading it around intentionally. She was also a victim of sexual harassment in local government custom office in Selenge aimag. Ms. Ichinnorov Manjaa created a documentary film and strategic litigation case against the person who murdered the victim. This documentary film was an excellent case study in Mongolia educating people on women’s rights issues, especially hidden issues of sexual harassment and domestic violence. In addition, she aimed at raising awareness on judicial injustice and media ethics. Through this strategic case the defendant was successfully tried in court and justice was served. This case created awareness for media professionals for respect for human rights and dignities. The documentary film “In Search for Justice” successfully participated in a number of international human rights film festivals.
• 2007. “Ariuntsetseg Case”- Strategic Litigation and Advocacy Case for Criminal Law Reform in Mongolia.
Seventeen year old young woman with a 17-days old baby was sentenced to imprisonment for 10 years and 5 months for stealing 1,500 tugriks (equivalent of 1 USD). Amended 2005 Criminal Code of Mongolia had harsher criminal sentences for repeated incidents and minimum imprisonment was 10 years for stealing cases no matter the amount of damage done to society. This strategic litigation case was a high-profile case that attracted public and media attention. Law and policy-makers were very interested in this case and used as an example of scale of justice as compared to justice for the rich and poor. The main aim of this case was to create awareness on the equality before the law and court, advocate the principles of humane and just punishment, alternative sentencing and reform the Criminal Law and whole criminal justice system in Mongolia. The President of Mongolia, M. Enkhbayar, pardoned the woman and this was the most successfully tried case in Mongolia that people learned about a new concept of strategic litigation.