A/HRC/43/51/Add.2 work is hindered by obstacles such as stigmatization, pressure, criminalization, hate speech on social media, the lack of understanding of who human rights defenders are, and the lack of access to information and to effective participation in decision-making processes. During his visit, the Special Rapporteur was informed about various forms of violations and abuses against human rights defenders, including intimidation; surveillance; blaming and stigmatizing statements, especially on social media; and civil law proceedings initiated under the guise of defamation. Several defenders also mentioned that if they were to get more vocal or involved in what one might consider more-sensitive issues, their relatives could face social or economic reprisals, such as obstacles to access to jobs, scholarships or projects. Some individuals who met the Special Rapporteur during the visit indicated that more defenders would have liked to have met with him but did not dare to do so for fear of reprisals. Some also referred to the recent presidential elections, during which an increasingly divisive discourse emerged, which had deterred some defenders from speaking out. 22. Given that the community in Mongolia is small and interconnected, these pressures and stigmatization can at times create an environment of self-censorship owing to the fear that any position on political or economic matters could result in retaliation, anonymous threats, pressure from relatives or worse. It is imperative that any form of violence – including threats of violence, online or offline, against human rights defenders – is investigated and perpetrators brought to justice. Impunity for rights violations or abuses not only denies the right of the victim to justice, but it also has a serious deterrent effect for anyone standing up for human rights. In a context where the work of defenders is insufficiently known, attacks, pressure or hate speech against defenders for cheap political gains adversely impact those that defenders serve: the society as a whole. 23. During the visit, human rights defenders also repeatedly referred to the murder of Zorig Sanjasuuren as an example of the possible risks faced when promoting human rights and democratic principles. Mr. Sanjasuuren was a Member of Parliament and a prodemocracy activist who was stabbed to death by attackers in 1998. In fact, the visit of the Special Rapporteur took place just a few weeks after the revelation of a classified video showing acts of torture committed against the two individuals imprisoned for the murder. The revelation of the video profoundly affected the public, because doubts about the guilt of the convicted have never been allayed fully. 1 Defenders also raised concerns at the lack of effective investigation into the recent troubling deaths of two human rights defenders: Lkhagvasumberel “Sumbee” Tumursukh and Luntan Bolormaa. There is a general fear within the defenders’ community in Mongolia that working on certain issues, such as human rights and the environment, anti-corruption or business accountability, may be dangerous. As the Government continues to work on the elaboration of a law on human rights defenders, the pressures that defenders face or perceive, from State institutions, private sector representatives or the general public, need to be considered very seriously. B. Corruption and independence of the judiciary 24. During his visit, the Special Rapporteur heard reports that corruption continues to exist within the three branches of the State – the executive, the legislative and the judiciary – in the capital and in the countryside, thereby undermining the confidence of the public in the political and justice systems. The Special Rapporteur is seriously concerned about the adverse impact of corruption on human rights in general, and human rights defenders who report or strive to address wrongdoing and malpractice, in particular. 25. With the purported objective of countering corruption practices, in 2019 the Parliament passed new amendments to the law on the legal status of judges, the law on the public prosecutor’s office and the anti-corruption law. The amendments were passed in an emergency session of the Parliament without hearings or public consultations. The 1 6 Inter-Parliamentary Union, “Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians: report on the mission to Mongolia – 11–13 September 2017”. Available at www.ipu.org/sites/default/files/documents/report_mission_mongolia-e.pdf.