Mauritania
13.12.00
Urgent Interventions
Mauritania: charges brought and some detainees released
Case MRT 111200.1
Follow-up to case MRT 111200
Geneva, 13 December 2000
The International Secretariat of OMCT has received new information with regards to the following situation in Mauritania.
New Information
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by SOS-Esclaves, a member of the OMCT network, that Ahmedou Ould Bebana and Feil Ould Mohamed Lemine Ould Cheiguer were released on 9 December 2000.
Moreover, the International Secretariat has been informed that Sidi Ould Ethmane Sid'Ahmed Yessa, Mouvid Ould Hassen Ould Taleb et Mohamd'El Hassen Ould Lebatt were brought before court on 10 December 2000 and that they were charged with attempted attack on state security and criminal association. Since 10 December 2000, they have been detained in the civil prison of Nouakchott.
OMCT has not received new information regarding the situation of Ahmed Ould Daddah.
Brief reminder of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT was informed by SOS-Esclaves of the arbitrary arrest and detention of Ahmed Ould Daddah, Ahmedou Ould Bebana and a group of about 30 youths in Mauritania.
According to the information received, on Saturday 9 December, Mr Ahmed Ould Daddah, Secretary General of the UFD/EN (recently dissolved opposition party Union des Forces Démocratiques/Ere Nouvelle) was arrested as he disembarked from a flight from Paris. Furthermore, on 6 December 2000, Mr Ahmedou Ould Bebana, vice president of At-talia Al Watanya, banned opposition party, was arrested in Rosso. It is further noted that a group of about 30 youths were arrested on 4 December 2000. Amongst those arrested, the following persons have been identified: Sidi Ould Ethmane Sid'Ahmed Yessa, Mouvid Oud Hassen Ould Taleb, Mohamd'El Hassen Ould Lebatt and Feil Ould Mohamed Lemine Ould Cheiguer who have been detained in an unknown location whilst the others were released, without explanation, four days after being detained secretly.
These arrests are part of a cycle of repression and systematic violations of fundamental freedoms which has reigned during the last few weeks in Mauritania where arbitrary arrests and detention have become commonplace. On 28th October 2000, the Special Council of Ministers dissolved the UFD/EN by decree. At-talia Al Watanya was banned in 1999.
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 the above-mentioned persons;
ii. order their 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;
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, December 13, 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Follow-up to case MRT 111200
Geneva, 13 December 2000
The International Secretariat of OMCT has received new information with regards to the following situation in Mauritania.
New Information
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by SOS-Esclaves, a member of the OMCT network, that Ahmedou Ould Bebana and Feil Ould Mohamed Lemine Ould Cheiguer were released on 9 December 2000.
Moreover, the International Secretariat has been informed that Sidi Ould Ethmane Sid'Ahmed Yessa, Mouvid Ould Hassen Ould Taleb et Mohamd'El Hassen Ould Lebatt were brought before court on 10 December 2000 and that they were charged with attempted attack on state security and criminal association. Since 10 December 2000, they have been detained in the civil prison of Nouakchott.
OMCT has not received new information regarding the situation of Ahmed Ould Daddah.
Brief reminder of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT was informed by SOS-Esclaves of the arbitrary arrest and detention of Ahmed Ould Daddah, Ahmedou Ould Bebana and a group of about 30 youths in Mauritania.
According to the information received, on Saturday 9 December, Mr Ahmed Ould Daddah, Secretary General of the UFD/EN (recently dissolved opposition party Union des Forces Démocratiques/Ere Nouvelle) was arrested as he disembarked from a flight from Paris. Furthermore, on 6 December 2000, Mr Ahmedou Ould Bebana, vice president of At-talia Al Watanya, banned opposition party, was arrested in Rosso. It is further noted that a group of about 30 youths were arrested on 4 December 2000. Amongst those arrested, the following persons have been identified: Sidi Ould Ethmane Sid'Ahmed Yessa, Mouvid Oud Hassen Ould Taleb, Mohamd'El Hassen Ould Lebatt and Feil Ould Mohamed Lemine Ould Cheiguer who have been detained in an unknown location whilst the others were released, without explanation, four days after being detained secretly.
These arrests are part of a cycle of repression and systematic violations of fundamental freedoms which has reigned during the last few weeks in Mauritania where arbitrary arrests and detention have become commonplace. On 28th October 2000, the Special Council of Ministers dissolved the UFD/EN by decree. At-talia Al Watanya was banned in 1999.
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 the above-mentioned persons;
ii. order their 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;
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, December 13, 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.