A Mongolian opposition candidate was beaten to death, authorities reported on Sunday, ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for later this month. The victim, a member of the Democratic Party (DP) and the governor of Sant Sum in central Mongolia, was identified by local media as B. Bayanmunkh, though a statement from his party referred to him as “BB.”
The Democratic Party expressed its sorrow over the loss, describing the victim as “a star of democracy” who lost his life violently.
According to the DP, the incident occurred around 10:00 pm during a meeting involving five members of the Mongolian People’s Party (MPP), the ruling party, in the initial phase of the parliamentary elections.
Mongolia, a nation three times the size of France with a population of 3.5 million, is set to hold parliamentary elections on June 28.
Violence during election campaigns is uncommon in this democratic country, where political debates are often heated and widely represented in the media. However, there are growing concerns about a declining rule of law and governmental efforts to suppress criticism, particularly regarding corruption.
The Democratic Party’s statement highlighted these concerns, mentioning the election is being conducted under significant pressure, including government influence and surveillance. The circumstances of the attack on the opposition candidate are still under investigation.
