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Mauritania: Update - Human rights defenders Messrs Lehbous Ould Omar, Ely Ould Ravaa, Ell Mehdy Ould Lemrabott and Abdallahy Abou Diop releasedposted on: 2012/01/24

On 21 January 2012, Messrs Lehbous Ould Omar, Ely Ould Ravaa, Ell Mehdy Ould Lemrabott and Abdallahy Abou Diop, human rights defenders and members of l'Initiative de résurgence du mouvement abolitionniste en Mauritanie (IRA), were released from detention in Aioun.

Mauritania: Arrest and detention of four human rights defenders and members of l'Initiative de résurgence du mouvement abolitionniste en Mauritanieposted on: 2012/01/17

Four members of the Initiative of the resurgence of the abolitionist movement in Mauritania were arrested, handcuffed and taken into custody on 12 January 2012.

Mauritania: Authorities attempt to divide human rights NGO IRA-Mauritaniaposted on: 2011/11/23

Human rights defenders in Mauritania denounced the attempt by intelligence and security officials to create dissent within anti-slavery NGO IRA-Mauritania and set up a rival organisation with the aim to discredit it.

Mauritania: Update - Judgement rendered in trial of nine human rights defenders, members of the Initiative de Resurgence de Mouvement Abolitioniste en Mauritanieposted on: 2011/08/24

On 22 August 2011, a court in Nouakchott passed judgement in the trial of nine anti slavery activists who are members of the Initiative de Resurgence de Mouvement Abolitioniste en Mauritanie (Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Mouvement in Mauritania - IRA).

Further Information

Mr Boulkheir Ould Cheikh Diengwas sentenced to one year in prison, however nine months of his sentence were suspended therefore he will only serve three months in prison. Messrs Tourad Ould Zeide, Moulaye Abdoulkarim Tourè, Cheikhna Ould Cheyakh and Elmouctar Ould Mohamed were sentenced to six months in prison however their sentences were suspended. Messrs Salek Ould Inellah, Ahmed Salem Ould Othmane, Sabar Ould Houceine, and Alioune Ould Byaye were acquitted.

Further information on this case is available here.

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Mauritania: Trial of nine members of the Initiative de résurgence du mouvement abolitionniste en Mauritanie (IRA) posted on: 2011/08/19

Nine anti-slavery activists risk being sentenced to two years detention in a trial that opened in Nouakchott yesterday, 17 August 2011. The nine human rights defenders, all members of the Initiative de résurgence du mouvement abolitionniste en Mauritanie (Initiative for the resurgence of the abolitionist mouvement in Mauritania – IRA) include Messrs. Tourad Ould Zeide, Moulaye Abdoulkarim Tourè, Salek Ould Inellah, Ahmed Salem Ould Othmane, Sabar Ould Houceine, Cheikhna Ould Cheyakh, Boulkheir Ould Cheikh Dieng, Elmouctar Ould Mohamed et Alioune Ould Byaye.

Further Information

At the court hearing, the prosecutor requested their sentencing to two years detention for membership of a non-registered organisation, illegal assembly and rebellion. One of the nine activists risks a sentence of three years, being also accused of assaulting a policeman. The hearing was initially scheduled for 10 August but was eventually postponed to 17 August on request of the defence.

Mauritania: UPDATE - Biram Dah Ould Abeid and five other anti-slavery activists sentencedposted on: 2011/01/07

Human rights defender Mr Biram Dah Ould Abeid and two other activists were sentenced to 12 months detention with 6 months suspended by the District court in Nouakchott on 6 January 2011. The judge found them guilty of assaulting police officers during a demonstration related to an alleged case of slavery. Three more human rights defenders were also standing trial and were condemned to a suspended sentence of six months.

The prosecutor asked three years detention for Biram Dah Ould Abeid and one year for the others, on the basis of assaulting police officers, illegal demonstration as well as running an unregistered association.

The six human rights defenders were arrested on 13 December 2010 and held in police custody following a demonstration in front of the police station related to an alleged case of slavery Biram Dah Ould Abeid was working on. Biram Dah Ould Abeid is the president of the Initiative de résurgence du mouvement abolitionniste en Mauritanie (Initiative for the resurgence of the abolitionist movement in Mauritania, IRA).

For further information see the original Front Line appeal of 15 December 2010.

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Mauritania – Arrest of human rights defender Biram Dah Ould Abeid and eight more activistsposted on: 2010/12/17

Human rights defender Mr Biram Dah Ould Abeid was assaulted and arrested on 13 December 2010 in Arafat following his intervention in an alleged slavery case. Biram Dah Ould Abeid is the President of Initiative de résurgence du mouvement abolitionniste en Mauritanie (Initiative for the resurgence of the abolitionist movement in Mauritania, IRA).

On 13 December 2010, Biram Dah Ould Abeid travelled to the department of Arafat to inform the local authorities of an alleged case of slavery. According to the information received, the local authorities ordered to the police to go to the place where the two young girls were allegedly kept in slavery.

Two police officers and an inspector arrived on the spot with Biram Dah Ould Abeid and other activists from the Front de lutte contre l'esclavage, le racisme et l'exclusion en Mauritanie (Movement against slavery, racism and exclusion in Mauritania, FLERE).

Mauritania: Senior police officer accused of ordering attack on human rights defender Boubacar Messaoud promotedposted on: 2009/04/15

Sources in Mauritania have expressed their concern at the announcement of the recent promotion of Mohamed Ould Nejib, Officer in Charge of Riadh-1 police station. Mohamed Ould Nejib is accused of having ordered the attack on human rights defender and President of SOS Esclaves, Boubacar Messaoud during a peaceful demonstration.

Boubacar Messaoud was reportedly deliberately targeted during a peaceful demonstration on 2 April where he was acting as observer. He was attacked by police officers who knew him well even though he was in a side street and not in the main body of the demonstration. The announcement of the promotion is seen as a message to the police and armed forces that they can take action against human rights defenders and that their loyalty to the regime will be rewarded.

To see the details of the Front Line Urgent Appeal on this case link to Front Line Appeal Mauritania

For further information on this case you can link to News Service on Mauritania in French only

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Mauritania: Senior police officer accused of ordering attack on human rights defender Boubacar Messaoud promotedposted on: 2009/04/15

Sources in Mauritania have expressed their concern at the announcement of the recent promotion of Mohamed Ould Nejib, Officer in Charge of Riadh-1 police station. Mohamed Ould Nejib is accused of having ordered the attack on human rights defender and President of SOS Esclaves, Boubacar Messaoud during a peaceful demonstration.

Mauritania: Human rights defender, Mr Boubacar Messaoud, severely beaten by police officersposted on: 2009/04/07

Front Line is seriously concerned following reports that human rights defender, Mr Boubacar Messaoud, was severely beaten by police officers during a demonstration on 2 April 2009 in Nouakchott. Boubacar Messaoud is the President of the Association SOS Esclaves (Slaves Association SOS) and a member of the Commission Nationale des Droits de l'Homme – CNDH (National Human Rights Commission).

Further Information

On 2 April, Boubacar Messaoud was participating as an observer to the demonstration organised by the Coordination des Forces Démocratiques – CFD (Coordination of Democratic Forces) in the context of the visit of French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Niamey, Niger, at the end of March. It is reported that the riot police tried to disperse the demonstrators using excessive force, including tear gas, and clashes between protesters and the police ensued. Several protesters have been severely injured as a result. While far from the main cortege, on a side street, Boubacar Messaoud was reportedly singled out and targeted by police superintendent Ould Nejib, who alerted the three colleagues accompanying him.