How did the socialist government affect Mongolia’s monasteries during the 1930s?

During the 1930s, the socialist government in Mongolia, which espoused atheism, systematically dismantled the country's religious infrastructure to replace traditional structures with secular, socialist forms. The regime’s actions against monasteries included:

• Destruction and Closure: The government destroyed or closed numerous monasteries across the country.1
• Confiscation: Authorities seized the livestock and landholdings that supported these religious institutions.1
• Persecution of Monks: The state forced large numbers of monks (lamas) to renounce their religious lives. Those who resisted these measures were killed.1

These actions were part of broader political purges that resulted in the deaths of approximately 35,000 people, more than half of whom were lamas. The vast majority of these victims were buried in unmarked graves, and thousands of others were subjected to harsh imprisonment. It is a fundamental ethical principle that such state-sponsored violence against individuals for their religious beliefs and peaceful existence is a grave violation of human rights.23