<p>Mauritania’s new President must commit to addressing the
country’s appalling human rights record, by taking meaningful measures to end
the scourge of slavery and protect human rights defenders and activists from
arbitrary arrest, torture and other ill-treatment, Amnesty International has
warned as President ; Mohamed Ould
Ghazouani is being sworn into office.</p>



<p>The organization highlighted the authorities’ persistent
denial of the existence of human rights violations including racial
discrimination, restriction of civic space and the right to freedom of
expression and called on the newly elected President to prioritise respect for
all human rights.</p>



<p>A statement by African Media Agency, made available to
OpenLife, stated “President Ghazouani is inheriting a situation where thousands
of people are enslaved, and those who speak out against this horror are often
arbitrarily arrested and imprisoned. Arbitrary arrests and detention, torture
and other ill-treatment, and the systematic ban of peaceful gatherings are
commonplace in Mauritania, and the situation has long been exacerbated by the
authorities’ denials,” said Kiné Fatim Diop, Amnesty International West Africa
Campaigner.</p>



<p>“We are calling on President Ghazouani to ensure that his
government breaks with the past and show commitment to improving the human
rights of all Mauritanians.”</p>



<p>During the election campaign in June, Amnesty International
joined other civil society organizations to call on each of the six Presidential
candidates ;to commit to implementing reforms and changing practices in
order to fulfill Mauritania’s national and international human rights
obligations.</p>



<p>Three out of the six candidates have signed the manifesto  ;consisting
of 12 commitments to promote and protect human rights in Mauritania. Despite
official request, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani – who was also the ruling party
candidate – did not sign it. His campaign also neglected to commit to improving
the disastrous human rights situation in the country.</p>



<p>Between the re-election of outgoing President Mohamed Ould
Abdel Aziz in June 2014 and the latest elections in May 2019, Amnesty
International has documented how 44 civil society organizations working to
promote respect for human rights have been closed down.</p>



<p>In the same period at least 174 human rights defenders have
been arbitrarily arrested and 17 of them have been tortured or ill-treated.
Mauritanian authorities have long labelled human rights defenders as “traitors”
and those who denounce discrimination are continuously harassed, intimidated
and attacked.</p>



<p>When Mohamed Ould Ghazouani’s victory was announced on 22
June the result was disputed by four other candidates and protests took place.
On that day, authorities carried out mass arrests of nearly 100 people
including opposition supporters and journalists and deployed security forces in
the capital Nouakchott and the cities of Nouadhibou and Kaédi.</p>



<p>West African nationals have also been attacked and some
deported back to their home countries after being accused of destabilizing the
peace in the country. The internet was cut off for 10 days apparently to
prevent people gathering and protesting. Security forces closed down
headquarters of the opposition coalition.</p>



<p>“We are calling on the authorities to repeal laws that
criminalize the right to freedom of expression, and to respect, protect and
promote the right to peaceful assembly,” said Kiné Fatim Diop.</p>

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