Mauritania between censorship and repression

Translated by Martina Marino

The arrest of lawmakers: the price of political dissent

In Mauritania, on 4 May 2026, two opposition lawmakers, Marieme Cheikh Dieng and Ghamou Achour, were sentenced to four years in prison for publishing social media posts critical of the country’s President, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, in which they called for his removal and raised allegations of racial bias within the Mauritanian judicial system, which is predominantly Arab, accusing it of treating Black citizens and descendants of enslaved people as second-class citizens. Mauritania rarely appears in international headlines, yet it is a West African country that has long been criticized by humanitarian organizations for the persistence of slavery, despite its formal abolition in 1981 and its recognition as a crime against humanity only in 2015. In this regard, Biram Dah Abeid, leader of the coalition “Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Movement,” accused the government of conducting a veritable witch hunt against elected lawmakers descended from formerly enslaved communities. Mauritania has also been widely criticized for human rights violations and restrictions on freedom of expression.

Blasphemy and fake news: repression under Ghazouani’s regime

Mauritania’s legislative framework on freedom of expression is highly concerning. To understand its severity, it is useful to refer to the USCIRF (US Commission on International Religious Freedom) report, which highlights the 2018 blasphemy law that amended Article 306 of the Mauritanian Penal Code. This amendment significantly tightened penalties for crimes against Islam, including the death penalty. The most severe change concerns the offense of blasphemy, which can now lead to a death sentence with no possibility of pardon, unlike in the past, when capital punishment could be revoked in cases of repentance.

In relation to this amendment, on 14 May 2018, the United Nations issued an urgent communication addressed to the Mauritanian government, expressing deep concern over the revision of Article 306. The letter stated that the amendment violates international law by undermining human rights protections, including the right to life, freedom of expression, freedom of religion and cultural rights. At the conclusion of the document, UN Special Rapporteurs explicitly requested that the Mauritanian government provide clarification regarding the amendment and repeal it as soon as possible.

Restrictions on freedom of expression were further strengthened on 24 June 2020, when Mauritania’s National Assembly approved a law aimed at combating the spread of false information on social media. Human rights activists and members of the Mauritanian opposition denounced the measure, warning that it could be used as an additional instrument to suppress dissent. The Mauritanian government, however, maintained that the law was intended solely to curb disinformation. These concerns soon proved well-founded. Between June and July 2020, a wave of arrests and repression linked to social media activity took place. One notable case was that of Moustapha Ould Ahmedi El Meki, former mayor of Akjoujt, who was arrested on 8 July 2020 for publishing a Facebook video in which he criticized and insulted the Mauritanian president. The abolitionist movement denounced these developments as evidence of an increasingly authoritarian approach by the Ghazouani government. Similarly, the Media Foundation for West Africa described the arrest of citizens over social media comments as unacceptable in a democracy. Moreover, the law also applies in cases where individuals genuinely believe the information they shared to be true. In addition, determinations regarding what constitutes “false information” are not entrusted to an independent judicial authority, effectively opening the door to government interference with freedom of expression.

Press freedom at risk and state monopoly over the media

In the 2026 Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Mauritania ranks 61st out of 180 countries, with a score of 63.36, marking a decline from its 50th-place position in 2025. According to the 2026 report by Freedom House, Mauritania scores 38 out of 100 and is classified as a “Partly Free” country. Considering that Freedom House’s rating scale ranges from 0 (no freedom) to 100 (maximum freedom), Mauritania’s score reflects a medium-low level of freedom. In Mauritania, radio remains the most popular source of information, while the main television and radio broadcasters are controlled by the state. Due to extremely low salaries, journalists are particularly vulnerable to political pressure. As a result, many media outlets struggle to maintain independence from political power, exposing journalists to the practice of commissioned or politically influenced articles.

From intimidation against journalists to Internet blackouts

Although journalists in Mauritania are rarely victims of physical violence, they are often targeted by verbal attacks and harassment campaigns on social media, as demonstrated by the assault on journalist Hanefi Ould Dahah on 26 January 2025, reportedly linked to his investigation into the management of a public procurement contract involving a businessman. The journalist was attacked outside the offices of his media outlet in Tevragh Zeina, a district of the capital Nouakchott. As reported by Amnesty International, freedom of expression in Mauritania has been severely restricted through repressive measures. During nationwide protests following the death of Oumar Diop, who died on 28 May 2023 while in police custody, the government shut down mobile internet access for several days. Internet access was also blocked multiple times during final secondary school examinations, which the government claimed was necessary to prevent cheating. In addition, on 26 July 2023, a nineteen-year-old student, Mariya Oubed, was arrested and detained in a prison in the capital, Nouakchott, on blasphemy charges after allegedly writing offensive comments about the Prophet during her final school examination.

Mauritania: at the crossroads between democracy and authoritarianism

Violations of religious freedom and the deterioration of freedom of expression remain critical issues in Mauritania. Journalists have limited economic protection and very low salaries, which affect the quality and independence of information, in addition to the fact that the main television broadcasters are under the control of President Ghazouani’s executive. The 2018 blasphemy law, combined with the June 2020 law aimed at combating the spread of false information on social media, constitutes a further deterioration of freedoms in the country, as shown by the indices of “Freedom House” and “Reporters Without Borders,” as well as reports from international organizations. The risk is that Mauritania could consolidate a model of legalized authoritarianism in which security, religion, and the fight against disinformation become tools for suppressing dissent.

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