Activist Sentenced Under Controversial Law On The Protection Of National Symbols

On April 26, 2025, activist Abdoulaye Bâ was arrested following the release of a video on social media. In this video, he called on the Minister of the Interior to end the arrests and deportations of undocumented immigrants, including Mauritanian nationals.

Bâ is responsible for the immigration section of the non-governmental organization Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Movement (IRA) .

On June 5, he appeared before the investigating judge of the Nouakchott court, before being formally charged with incitement to hatred and dissemination of hate speech.

On June 12, the Criminal Chamber of the Nouakchott West court found him guilty of inciting hatred and sentenced him to one year in prison, six months of which were suspended. He was also fined 20,000 MRU (approximately USD 500).

Bâ was prosecuted under Law No. 2021-021 on the protection of national symbols , a widely criticized text accused of being used by Mauritanian authorities to silence dissenting voices.

This same law had already been used to arrest and detain students from the University of Nouakchott, accused of criticizing the Mauritanian president on social media after being excluded from a presidential iftar banquet.

Read more: https://mfwa.org/country-highlights/mauritanie-un-activiste-condamne-en-vertu-de-la-controversee-loi-sur-la-protection-des-symboles-nationaux/