Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders Annual Report 2003 - Mauritania

Infringement of lawyers' independence53

Mr Mahfoudh Ould Bettah, who is openly committed to human rights, has been leader of the bar for the last 12 years and was re-elected with an absolute majority on 27th June 2002. The government invalidated the elections, in violation of the criminal code, so that a second round could be held. Mr. Khalifa, a pro-government lawyer, was finally officially recognised as the new leader of the bar by the office of the public prosecutor. The second round was rife with irregularities, and Mr. Bettah's supporters reported that they had been pressured by the authorities.

Mr. Bettah was summoned on 24th April and on 12th May 2003 to appear before the Council of the bar, presided over by Mr. Khalifa, the grounds being that he was acting as if he still held his old position. Mr. Bettah felt that the summons was "insulting" and decided not to appear. He was finally suspended for three years, as of 7th July 2003.


[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.]

52. Idem.

53. See Urgent Appeal MAU 001/0703/OBS 033.

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