Mauritania: Protests possible in Nouadhibou November 8

Event

Protests are possible in Nouadhibou (north) on Wednesday, November 8, coinciding with the resumption of a major court case that had been adjourned since January. The trial, which involves a blogger activist charged with blasphemy after publishing a controversial post, could spark unrest in the city. Previous protests against the blogger have been held recently, including one on November 3 in the capital Nouakchott which resulted in numerous arrests.

Large public gatherings have the potential to turn dangerous very quickly. Growing social tensions around the trial could lead to clashes among protesters, as well as a heavy police crackdown against the demonstrators.

Context

The blogger, Mohamed Cheikh Ould Mkhaitir, was initially condemned to death in December 2014 and has been held in prison since then. The court - saying Mkhaitir has shown repentance - has since annulled the death sentence and re-classified the charge of "apostasy" to "disbelief," a less serious crime in Mauritania. However, religious leaders and thousands of people have protested the decision, demanding the death sentence be reinstated.

Advice

Individuals in Mauritania are advised to avoid all protests and to monitor the situation. 

On a more general note, individuals present in Mauritania should remain vigilant at all times due to various security concerns. Due to the threat of kidnapping, it is critical that foreigners remain discreet regarding personal details, particularly information concerning nationality, employment, family, etc. As a reminder, many Western governments advise against nonessential travel to the majority of the country, including the capital. All travelers are advised to refrain from travel to the northeastern area of the country.