Mauritania
27.04.00
Urgent Interventions
Mauritania: arbitrary arrest of opposition le
Mauritania: arrest of Mr. Ahmed Ould Daddah
Case MRT 270400
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Mauritania.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by Agir Ensemble pour les Droits de l’Homme and SOS Esclaves Mauritanie, both members of the OMCT network, of a number of incidents between the police and demonstrators in relation to the arrest Mr. Ahmed Ould Daddah.
Mr. Ahmed Ould Daddah, Secretary General of the opposition party Union des Forces Démocratiques/Ere Nouvelle (UFD/EN) and President of the Front des Partis d’opposition FPO, had previously been arrested, without a warrant, on 24th April 2000 at around 13:00 at the UFD/EN headquarters in the capital, Nouakchott. According to unofficial sources, his arrest was allegedly a preventative measure against UFD/EN meeting to be held on 26th April 2000. His call for this meeting was allegedly considered as inciting violence.
The day after Mr. Ahmed Ould Daddah's arrest, the Mauritania authorities announced that all public meetings were prohibited. Furthermore, a number of security measures were taken on 26th April 2000 in strategic places in the capital in the form of members of the Gendarmerie and Garde Nationale. A number of bullet-proof vehicles were also seen.
According to information received, on 26th April 2000, at 4pm at the headquarters of the Fédération of UFD/EN, a number of incidents broke out between squadrons of police and a few hundred demonstrators of FPO calling for the release of Mr. Ahmed Ould Daddah. By 6pm the gathering was dispersed in disorder and it is reported that some demonstrators were slightly injured although no arrests have been signalled.
According to the information, the forces of order, elite troops and the national army are in a state of alert.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Mauritania urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Ahmed Ould Daddah and order his immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges or, if such charges exist, bring them before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times;
ii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into these incidents and put an end to the use of force against demonstrators;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
President of the Republic, Son Excellence Monsieur le Président Maaouiya Ould Sid 'Ahmed Taya, Président de la République, La Présidence -BP 184, Nouakchott – Mauritania. Fax : +222 2 52406 or +222 2 59801.
Minister of the Interior, Monsieur Dah Ould Abdel Jelil, Ministre de l'Intérieur, des Postes et des Télécommunications Ministère de l'Intérieur, des Postes et des Télécommunications BP 195, Nouakchott – Mauritania. Fax : +222 2 53661
Minister of Justice, Monsieur Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug, Ministre de la Justice, Ministère de la Justice - BP 350, Nouakchott – Mauritania. Fax : +222 2 57002 or +222 2 54995
Public Prosecutor, Mohamed Yeslem Ould Jidimou, Procureur de la République, Palais de Justice, Nouakchott - Mauritania Telegrams: Procureur République, Nouakchott, Mauritania.
Geneva, April 27, 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Case MRT 270400
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Mauritania.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by Agir Ensemble pour les Droits de l’Homme and SOS Esclaves Mauritanie, both members of the OMCT network, of a number of incidents between the police and demonstrators in relation to the arrest Mr. Ahmed Ould Daddah.
Mr. Ahmed Ould Daddah, Secretary General of the opposition party Union des Forces Démocratiques/Ere Nouvelle (UFD/EN) and President of the Front des Partis d’opposition FPO, had previously been arrested, without a warrant, on 24th April 2000 at around 13:00 at the UFD/EN headquarters in the capital, Nouakchott. According to unofficial sources, his arrest was allegedly a preventative measure against UFD/EN meeting to be held on 26th April 2000. His call for this meeting was allegedly considered as inciting violence.
The day after Mr. Ahmed Ould Daddah's arrest, the Mauritania authorities announced that all public meetings were prohibited. Furthermore, a number of security measures were taken on 26th April 2000 in strategic places in the capital in the form of members of the Gendarmerie and Garde Nationale. A number of bullet-proof vehicles were also seen.
According to information received, on 26th April 2000, at 4pm at the headquarters of the Fédération of UFD/EN, a number of incidents broke out between squadrons of police and a few hundred demonstrators of FPO calling for the release of Mr. Ahmed Ould Daddah. By 6pm the gathering was dispersed in disorder and it is reported that some demonstrators were slightly injured although no arrests have been signalled.
According to the information, the forces of order, elite troops and the national army are in a state of alert.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Mauritania urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Ahmed Ould Daddah and order his immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges or, if such charges exist, bring them before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times;
ii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into these incidents and put an end to the use of force against demonstrators;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
President of the Republic, Son Excellence Monsieur le Président Maaouiya Ould Sid 'Ahmed Taya, Président de la République, La Présidence -BP 184, Nouakchott – Mauritania. Fax : +222 2 52406 or +222 2 59801.
Minister of the Interior, Monsieur Dah Ould Abdel Jelil, Ministre de l'Intérieur, des Postes et des Télécommunications Ministère de l'Intérieur, des Postes et des Télécommunications BP 195, Nouakchott – Mauritania. Fax : +222 2 53661
Minister of Justice, Monsieur Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug, Ministre de la Justice, Ministère de la Justice - BP 350, Nouakchott – Mauritania. Fax : +222 2 57002 or +222 2 54995
Public Prosecutor, Mohamed Yeslem Ould Jidimou, Procureur de la République, Palais de Justice, Nouakchott - Mauritania Telegrams: Procureur République, Nouakchott, Mauritania.
Geneva, April 27, 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.