Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders Annual Report 2002 - Mauritania

International Federation for Human Rights, Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders Annual Report 2002 - Mauritania, 26 March 2003, https://www.refworld.org/reference/annualreport/ifhr/2003/en/59678 [accessed 23 April 2024]
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Arrest of Mr. Boubacar Ould Messaoud49

Mr. Boubacar Ould Messaoud, lawyer and Chairman of the association SOS-Esclaves, was arrested at his home in Nouakchott on 2nd May 2002 by members of the State Security services (DSE, Direction de la Sûreté de l'Etat), while receiving a visit from the United States Consul. After Mr. Messaoud had been dragged away without a warrant, members of the DSE remained behind, searched his home and took away documents they found in his office. During the night of 2nd-3rd May, members of the DSE returned and removed his computer. On 30th April, just before his arrest, Mr. Messaoud spoke on Radio France International denouncing the alleged torture of Mr. Salem Ould Ya'raf, alleged militant of the clandestine movement Conscience et Résistance, during his detention in April. Mr. Messaoud had recorded his statement. He was released the following day having provided proof that these declarations were authentic, just when the victim, apparently under pressure, had publicly withdrawn his allegations in a statement issued by the police. Mr. Messaoud's belongings were returned to him. The arrest of Mr. Messaoud took place two days before his departure for Pretoria, where he was to represent the Forum of National Human Rights Organisations in Mauritania, a grouping of 13 Mauritanian human rights NGOs, at the 31st session of the African Commission of Human and Peoples' Rights (2nd-6th May 2002). He was therefore unable to go to Pretoria, although the initial report on Mauritania was on the agenda.

Mr. Messaoud had already been arrested and sentenced to 13 months imprisonment after denouncing slavery in Mauritania in an interview with the TV channel France 3 in 1998. He had been pardoned a short while after his conviction.50

[Refworld note: This report as posted on the FIDH website (www.fidh.org) was in pdf format with country chapters run together by region. Footnote numbers have been retained here, so do not necessarily begin at 1.]

49. See Urgent Appeal MAU 001/0205/OBS 029 and 29.01.

50. See Annual Report 1997-1998.

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