FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mr. Hada, a long-time political prisoner and President of the Southern Mongolian Democratic Alliance, has been officially nominated for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. The nomination comes from four members of Japan's National Diet, representing both ruling and opposition parties.

A steadfast human rights activist, Mr. Hada has dedicated his life to protecting the rights of Mongolians in Southern Mongolia, also referred to as Inner Mongolia in China. Over the past 30 years, he has endured relentless persecution, including an unjust arrest in 1995, a 15-year prison sentence, an additional four years of incarceration, and 11 years of house arrest. Despite these severe hardships, Mr. Hada has continued to advocate peacefully for his people's rights.

On January 26th, Hidetoshi Ishii, President of the Indo-Pacific Human Rights Information Center and the secretariat for Mr. Hada’s Nobel Peace Prize nomination, confirmed receipt of an email from the Norwegian Nobel Committee acknowledging the nomination.

The recommendation was made by four Japanese lawmakers, including Hiroshi Yamada, Member of the House of Councillors and Executive Director of the Southern Mongolian Parliamentary League, and Yoichi Shimada, Member of the House of Representatives with the Conservative Party of Japan. Two other National Diet members also supported the nomination but requested anonymity.

“We welcome this move and extend our heartfelt thanks to the four Japanese parliament members, including Hiroshi Yamada and Yoichi Shimada, for recognizing Mr. Hada’s lifelong commitment to the rights of six million Southern Mongolians,” Engehbatu Togochog, Director of the Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Center in the United States, expressed his gratitude for the nomination. “Our special thanks go to our dear friends and ardent supporters of Southern Mongolian human rights and freedom, Mr. Hidetoshi Ishii and Ms. Yoko Ishii. Their unwavering support and diligent engagement with the Japanese Diet made this nomination possible.”

Mr. Hada is widely regarded as the "Nelson Mandela of Southern Mongolia" for his enduring commitment to human rights and self-determination for Southern Mongolia. Through peaceful advocacy, he has tirelessly called for the rights of the Southern Mongolian people as guaranteed under the Constitution of the People's Republic of China—rights that remain unrealized. Despite decades of unjust imprisonment and continued house arrest in a secret facility overseen by Chinese authorities, Mr. Hada remains an indomitable figure in the fight for freedom and human rights.

This nomination highlights his extraordinary courage and resilience, making him a deserving candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize and a symbol of hope for the millions of Mongolians he represents.