Mauritania
17.04.01
Urgent Interventions
Mauritania: opposition party president Mr. Ch'Bih has been arbitrarily arrested and detained incommunicado
Case MRT 170401
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 SOS-Esclaves, a member of the OMCT network, that opposition party president Mr. Mohamed Lemine Ch'Bih Ould Cheikh Malainine, has been arbitrarily arrested and detained incommunicado by the authorities in Mauritania.
According to the information received, Mr. Ch'Bih, the President of the Popular Front opposition party, was arrested at his home on April 8th, 2001 by a brigade of State Security officials, and is accused of conspiracy and plotting acts of violence. The authorities performed a search of his house in his presence, and reportedly terrorised his family. Mr. Ch’Bih has been held incommunicado since then in the district of Nouakchott regional police headquarters premises.
On April 17th, 2001, Mr. Ch’Bih’s family and lawyers finally managed to negotiate access to the detainee, although access to the documents regarding the case have not been granted, suggesting that due legal process may not be observed by the authorities. Furthermore, OMCT is gravely concerned for Mr. Ch'Bih's physical and psychological integrity during his detention by the Mauritanian authorities.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Mauritania urging them to:
1. take all necessary measures to guarantee Mr. Ch’Bih’s physical and psychological integrity;
2. order his immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges or, if such charges exist, bring Mr. Ch’Bih before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee his procedural rights at all times;
3. 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.
Please also write to the embassies of Mauritania in your respective country.
Geneva, April 17, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
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 SOS-Esclaves, a member of the OMCT network, that opposition party president Mr. Mohamed Lemine Ch'Bih Ould Cheikh Malainine, has been arbitrarily arrested and detained incommunicado by the authorities in Mauritania.
According to the information received, Mr. Ch'Bih, the President of the Popular Front opposition party, was arrested at his home on April 8th, 2001 by a brigade of State Security officials, and is accused of conspiracy and plotting acts of violence. The authorities performed a search of his house in his presence, and reportedly terrorised his family. Mr. Ch’Bih has been held incommunicado since then in the district of Nouakchott regional police headquarters premises.
On April 17th, 2001, Mr. Ch’Bih’s family and lawyers finally managed to negotiate access to the detainee, although access to the documents regarding the case have not been granted, suggesting that due legal process may not be observed by the authorities. Furthermore, OMCT is gravely concerned for Mr. Ch'Bih's physical and psychological integrity during his detention by the Mauritanian authorities.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Mauritania urging them to:
1. take all necessary measures to guarantee Mr. Ch’Bih’s physical and psychological integrity;
2. order his immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges or, if such charges exist, bring Mr. Ch’Bih before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee his procedural rights at all times;
3. 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.
Please also write to the embassies of Mauritania in your respective country.
Geneva, April 17, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.