Mauritanian anti-slavery activists jailed
By Roshan Muhammed Salih

Wednesday 23 March 2005, 21:54 Makka Time, 18:54 GMT


Rights groups have condemned Mauritania over slavery



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Three Mauritanian anti-slavery activists have been jailed for exposing the
plight of slaves in the country, a human rights group has said.


The Paris-based Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
(OMCT) said Muhammad Lemine Wald Mahmudi, a journalist who had investigated
a case of slavery in a remote village, was arrested last week.



He is being held in a prison in the town of Russo in the southwest of the
country, accused of "endangering national security".



Mahmudi, who suffers from migraines, has been refused medical attention,
said the group, and is now being kept in a tiny, suffocatingly hot cell with
violent and ill offenders.



Meanwhile, two of Mahmudi's colleagues have been imprisoned on the same
charges in the capital, Nouakchott.



Aichatu Mint al-Hadar, a teacher, and Moya Mint Boyah, the wife of an
opposition senator, are supporters of a local association, SOS Slaves, and
members of an opposition party – the Popular Progressive Alliance.



'Arbitrary detention'



According to SOS Slaves, the three activists witnessed the uncovering of a
slavery case on 14 March. But two days later state television broadcast the
testimonies of the alleged victim and her husband saying the trio had
harassed them.



However, the OMCT allege the pair were bribed into making the statements.



"The Observatory considers that these three people have been arbitrarily
detained and prosecuted in reprisal for their anti-slavery activities in
Mauritania"

Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders


"The Observatory considers that these three people have been arbitrarily
detained and prosecuted in reprisal for their anti-slavery activities in
Mauritania.



"It expresses its great concern over their physical and psychological
well-being," the group said.



Mauritanian authorities should immediately release the activists and drop
all charges against them, said the OMCT.



It added that all harassment against human rights defenders in Mauritania
should be halted and reprisals against them prevented.




Although Mauritanian authorities have confirmed the arrests, they have not
commented specifically on the cases.



Slavery law



Mauritania vehemently denies the existence of slavery in the country.



Last year it enacted a law making the practice illegal and slave ownership
punishable with a fine or prison sentence.




President Wald Taya says there
is no slavery in Mauritania

No one has yet to be prosecuted under the law, but Nouakchott says this is
because slavery was abolished in Mauritania long ago.



Nevertheless, human rights groups regularly condemn the country for not
doing enough to combat slavery.



London-based Amnesty International has said that extensive human rights
abuses connected to slavery are committed with impunity in Mauritania and
that former slaves suffer continuing discrimination.



"Such an ingrained social, economic, and political problem can only be
eradicated by confronting all its aspects," said Amnesty in a recent report.



"Otherwise it will persist, especially when those who speak out against
slavery are arrested and imprisoned, their organisations remain unauthorised
and newspapers are seized to prevent discussion."

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