Worldwide, 17 out of every 100,000 people die in road traffic accidents, while the figure stands at 21 in Mongolia, which experts warn is alarmingly high. Official data show that 2,738 people have died in road traffic accidents over the past five years, including 312 children. The majority of these accidents are reportedly linked to alcohol consumption. Alcohol can be considered a major contributing factor not only in road traffic accidents but also in various offenses and crimes. We spoke with B.Urantsatsral, a police captain and Senior Specialist at the Press and Media Center of the Crime Prevention Department of the National Police Agency, about the issue.

It has been reported that cases of offenses and crimes committed as a result of excessive alcohol consumption have increased recently. How many such cases have been registered by the police since the beginning of this year?

3,904 crimes committed while intoxicated were registered as of July last year. In the first seven months of this year, however, 4,408 such crimes were registered, representing an increase of 504 cases, or 12.9 percent, compared with the same period last year.

During the Naadam Festival, from July 10 to 16, 1,326 calls and reports concerning road traffic accidents were registered. As a result, four people died and 42 people were injured. In rural areas, 15 people died in accidents during the same period, two of whom were children.

It is said that increased alcohol consumption contributes to a rise in crime. Have you studied the underlying causes and circumstances? How can the situation be reduced?

The harmful use of alcohol and drinking in public places, particularly in ger districts, apartment complexes and domestic settings, continues unabated. Specifically, 81 percent of crimes committed while intoxicated occurred in these locations.

Therefore, it is necessary to improve the effectiveness of preventive and awareness-raising activities targeting risky behavior among citizens, as well as strengthen monitoring, inspections and patrol operations. In other words, these figures and facts demonstrate the need to prevent offenses from escalating at an early stage.

Which age groups are most likely to consume alcohol? There has been growing discussion that alcohol consumption among young people has declined significantly. Do the statistics “prove” this?

According to a five-year study of alcohol consumption and individuals involved in crimes committed while intoxicated, people aged 18 to 44 account for 42.6 percent. This indicates that alcohol-related risks remain high among people of working age.

In addition, 49.7 percent of such crimes were committed between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Although drinking trends among young people have changed to some extent, with more young people engaging in sports, adopting healthier lifestyles and developing positive habits, young people still account for the majority of those involved in crimes committed while intoxicated.

Therefore, it is still too early to conclude that alcohol consumption among the younger generation has declined significantly.

It has become commonplace for police to receive 70 to 100 domestic violence calls in a single day. These are also often linked to alcohol abuse, with women and children being the primary victims. What measures have professional organizations taken to protect victims and prevent such cases?

According to statistics, the number of domestic violence cases has decreased by 3.4 percent compared with the same period last year. In other words, 919 domestic violence-related crimes were registered by the police during the first seven months of this year. Of the victims, 86.7 percent were women and 9.2 percent were children.

Because domestic violence is often committed in private settings and out of public view, it is common for such violence to be repeated and escalate over time. Therefore, measures are taken to identify and stop risks before violence occurs and to prevent repeat offenses.

As part of these efforts, we register information on individuals who have committed violence in the entity component system using their registration numbers. This allows us to determine whether they have previously committed violence and identify repeat cases. For every domestic violence call or report, we assess the level of danger and the circumstances and work together with relevant professional organizations.

When necessary, victims are placed in temporary shelters or one-stop service centers to ensure their safety and are provided with access to the seven types of comprehensive services stipulated by law. I would also like to emphasize that if neighbors, relatives or family members notice signs or risks of domestic violence, reporting them to the relevant authorities is extremely important for intervening at an early stage.

Based on the information from the National Police Agency, online fraud appears to have declined slightly compared with last year. However, in this technological era, online fraud and scams have become extremely dangerous. Unfortunately, identifying perpetrators and recovering victims’ losses can take a long time.

Since the beginning of this year, a total of 31,233 crimes have been registered by the police, of which 10,633, or 34 percent, were fraud cases. Compared with the same period last year, this represents a 4.1 percent decrease.

However, the fact that 76 percent of all fraud cases were committed online is a matter of serious concern. In particular, fraud involving online orders for goods and products, gambling, lotteries and the use of commercial banks’ names is being reported frequently.

As technology and artificial intelligence continue to develop, fraudsters are becoming increasingly sophisticated. They quickly adapt their methods and approaches based on people’s habits, demands and needs.

For example, they imitate the names, logos and websites of commercial banks and obtain people’s personal and banking information under the guise of promotional programs or customer satisfaction surveys. They then gain access to victims’ internet banking accounts and transfer out their remaining funds. There have even been cases in which people lost more than 60 million MNT that they had saved for a housing down payment within just a few moments.

This shows how unfortunate it is that people sometimes make hasty decisions out of naivety or excitement without verifying information and end up handing over all their personal details to fraudsters. In fact, if they carefully check the information and verify it through official sources, they can avoid becoming victims.

People who fall victim to this type of crime often complain to police officers, asking, “If you have the account number where the money was transferred, why can’t you immediately arrest the perpetrator and take action?”

However, fraudsters often transfer stolen money through other people’s accounts, rent and use other individuals’ bank accounts, and eventually move the funds to international accounts. This creates significant difficulties and challenges for criminal investigations.

Therefore, people should avoid clicking on unverified links while using the internet, refrain from immediately trusting posts or information they see online, carefully verify information and obtain it from official sources. They should also be aware that requests for advance payments or personal and banking information are strong warning signs of potential fraud.

There has been growing criticism that the police are failing to uphold the public’s right to information and are treating media organizations differently. There have also been cases where sensitive and personal information about individuals is disclosed when reporting on crimes. For example, victims may be described in insensitive terms, such as “homeless”, “previously involved in crime”, or “from a disadvantaged background”. As the specialist responsible for this area, what would you say about this?

The Law on Police Office stipulates that, in addition to complying with the Constitution of Mongolia, the police and police officers must respect human rights and freedoms, uphold the principles of transparency and openness, strictly protect confidentiality, earn and maintain public trust and support, and ensure that their activities are continuous, politically impartial and governed by unified, centralized management.

In other words, when providing information to the public and the media, the police are required to balance two obligations: ensuring transparency and openness on the one hand, while protecting the confidentiality of investigations, individuals’ privacy and their legitimate interests on the other.

Section 22.1 of the law also clearly states that police organizations and officers are obliged to strictly comply with the law and protect human rights and freedoms without discrimination based on nationality, ethnicity, language, race, age, gender, social origin or status, wealth, occupation, position, religion, beliefs or education.

Therefore, when journalists ask questions seeking clarification about a crime, we provide information to the extent permitted and in accordance with authorization from the prosecutor.

In connection with COP17, vehicles have been allowed to travel according to even- and odd-numbered license plates since August 15. How has it been planned to manage traffic and ensure convenient travel for citizens during this period?

In connection with the COP17 international conference being held in Ulaanbaatar City from August 17 to 28, traffic on the city’s roads will be regulated according to the even and odd numbers of vehicle license plates, with restrictions in effect from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. This regulation will remain in effect until September 12.

This vehicle restriction system is distinctive in that it will apply across the central six districts of the capital city regardless of specific zones.

However, the following vehicles will be exempt from the restriction: electric vehicles with green license plates; vehicles authorized and equipped for the distribution and collection of food products; vehicles involved in funeral services; vehicles providing road maintenance, urban landscaping and utility network repair services; vehicles belonging to diplomatic missions; vehicles serving foreign guests and delegations; public transportation; taxis that meet applicable standards; vehicles transporting school and kindergarten students and employees of organizations; and vehicles belonging to media organizations bearing official identification.