The Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs of Mongolia (MOJHA; Mongolian: Монгол Улсын Хууль зүй дотоод хэргийн яам; Mongol Ulsyn Khuul züin dotood khergiin yaam),[2] also referred to as the Ministry of Justice or the Ministry of Home Affairs, is a Mongolian government agency that upholds the principles of fairness and rule of law in Mongolia, and aims to create legal guarantees so that the federal government may ensure human rights and freedoms.[3][4] The ministry carries out activities such as developing legal policy (including its implementation and coordination), public administration, financing and investment, treaties and cooperation, and internal auditing (which includes monitoring and evaluating).[5][6][7][8] It divides its security duties with the Ministry of Defense and the General Intelligence Agency.
The ministry is governed by the following relevant documents:[9]
At the founding of the Bogd Khanate of Mongolia in 1911, a new Mongolian government was formed with five ministries, including internal affairs. It was first headed by Da Lam Tserenchimed, who later on became the first Prime Minister of Mongolia.[10] In
1934, by resolution of the Council of People’s Ministers, the rules of procedure of the State Internal Security Protection stipulated that
all security threat protection activities on the territory of the state shall be
conducted by aforementioned laws. In the mid-1930s, Prime Minister Peljidiin Genden balked at recommendations by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin to elevate the Committee of Internal Affairs of the Mongolian People's Republic, at least 26 percent of whose staff were agents of the Soviet NKVD at the time, to an independent cabinet-level ministry. Frustrated by Genden's disobedience, Stalin promoted MarshalKhorloogiin Choibalsan as the new Minister of Internal Affairs.[11] In March 1936, Choibalsan's Interior Ministry orchestrated the firing of his government and the removal Genden from the post of First Secretary of the Central Committee of the People's Revolutionary Party, due to his role in the deterioration of Mongol–Soviet relations. Due to his status and the power of his opponents, namely the new head of governmentAnandyn Amar, Choibalsan and likewise the Ministry of Internal Affairs became the de facto most powerful body the country.[12]
Just two months later the ministry amended its rules to include the detention high ranking politicians and public figures without first consulting any of its party or political superiors, effectively increasing its influence over the country. Under the direction and guidance Choibalsan's Soviet handler Chopyak and other mentors from the NKVD, the ministry planned over the next three years to carry out the repressive purges on opponents of Stalin/Choibalsan, religious figures (mostly BuddhistLamas) and enemies of the state.[13] Notable Russian aides to the ministry included Deputy NKVD Commissar Mikhail Frinovsky and NKVD Chief Nikolai Yezhov. When the purges ended, official blame was laid on the deputy minister of internal affairs Nasantogtoh, and his Soviet handler Kichikov.
The Interior Ministry was later replaced by the Ministry of Public Security. The Ministry of Public Security of the MPR served as a catalyst for the republic's paramilitary forces, which totaled around 30,000 men by 1955.[14] It was founded in its current form after the abolition of the socialist state and its split from the General Intelligence Agency in 1990.
Established in 1965, the National Police Agency is responsible for maintaining law and order and preventing crime throughout Mongolia. Its motto is "Striving together for peaceful and secure life".[15]
The Internal Troops is the National paramilitary force and reserve duties in the military. Under the command of a The Internal Troops are led by a chief of staff who reports directly to the Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs, It protects buildings for institutions and areas such as the Government Palace.[16] As the successor to the Internal Troops of the Mongolian People's Army (then known as the Border and Internal Troops Administration), the Internal Troops in their current form were adopted in 1995, until it was dissolved in March 2013 by the State Great Khural before the recreation of the Internal Troops was reconsidered following the 2016 Mongolian legislative election.[17][18][19] At the time of its original establishment, the Directorate of the Internal Troops was placed under the command of the Commissioner General, however, it was not fully clear what ministry has the ultimate control of it.[20]
