Nouakchott, July 10, 2025 — Liberals Mauritanian.
The recent conviction of activist Abdoulaye Bâ head of the Anti-Trafficking Committee, Initiative for the Abolitionist Resurgence (IRA) movement marks another alarming episode in Mauritania’s ongoing crackdown on freedom of expression and civil liberties, particularly targeting Mauritanians of African ethnicities. Bâ, a vocal defender of minority rights, was sentenced this week under the controversial Protection of National Symbols Law for a video he posted on social media on April 26, 2025. In the video, he appealed to the Minister of the Interior to end what he described as arbitrary arrests and deportations of irregular immigrants — including Mauritanian citizens — and denounced the racist underpinnings of these actions.
Shortly after the video circulated online, Bâ was arrested and accused of “insulting state institutions” and “inciting public disorder.” Authorities cited the 2021 Protection of National Symbols Law as the basis for his prosecution, a law widely condemned by national and international human rights organizations as a repressive tool used to silence dissent and criminalize criticism of government officials.
A Law that Shields Power, Not National Unity
The Protection of National Symbols Law, passed in a rushed parliamentary session in 2021, was ostensibly designed to protect the dignity of state institutions. However, in practice, it has become a legal weapon to punish any form of political opposition or public criticism. Since its enactment, dozens of journalists, activists, and ordinary citizens have faced legal action for expressing views deemed “disrespectful” to the authorities.
In Bâ’s case, his so-called offense was speaking out against the Ministry of the Interior’s aggressive immigration operations, which disproportionately affect the Afro-Mauritanian community. His video did not incite violence, nor did it threaten national cohesion. Rather, it highlighted a systemic issue: the increasing use of immigration policy as a pretext for targeting marginalized ethnic groups, particularly Black Mauritanians, under the veil of national security.
Ethnic Discrimination Behind the Immigration Crackdown
For months, Mauritania has ramped up deportation operations, often in the name of combatting irregular migration. However, several eyewitness reports and testimonies gathered by civil society groups reveal that many of those detained and deported are Mauritanian nationals of African descent — especially members of the Fulani, Soninké and Wolof ethnicities — who are routinely suspected of being “foreigners” based on their appearance, dialect, or region of origin.
Abdoulaye Bâ’s video exposed this pattern and called for an immediate end to these discriminatory practices. He urged the government to stop treating Black Mauritanians as outsiders in their own country, a message that resonated widely, particularly among young people and activists who have long criticized the entrenched racial hierarchy in Mauritanian society.
In response, instead of engaging with the concerns raised, the authorities chose to silence the messenger.
A Chilling Message to the Afro-Mauritanian Community
The conviction of Bâ sends a stark message: speaking out against racial injustice in Mauritania is now equated with attacking the state. His arrest follows a broader trend of judicial repression against Afro-Mauritanian activists who challenge systemic inequality or demand accountability for past and ongoing abuses.
“This ruling is not about protecting national symbols, it’s about punishing a Black Mauritanian for demanding equal rights,” said a legal advocate close to the case. “Abdoulaye Bâ simply exercised his constitutional right to free expression. The government’s response reveals deep-rooted fear of truth, transparency, and justice.”
International and Local Outrage
Human rights organizations — both domestic and international — have decried the conviction as a politically motivated assault on civil liberties and a dangerous erosion of rule of law. The Mauritanian Liberals Network joins them in strongly condemning the misuse of state power to suppress legitimate protest.
“We stand with Abdoulaye Bâ and with all those who refuse to be silenced,” said a statement from our Organisation. “Mauritania cannot build a democratic future while silencing its own citizens and treating a segment of its population as second-class.
We Stand for Justice, Equality, and Secular Democracy in Mauritania.”
There are growing calls for the Protection of National Symbols Law to be repealed entirely and for a full investigation into the use of racial profiling in immigration enforcement. Several political and civic groups are preparing to organize peaceful demonstrations and awareness campaigns in the coming weeks.
A Nation at a Crossroads
Abdoulaye Bâ remains in detention as his legal team prepares to appeal the verdict. His case is now seen as a litmus test for Mauritania’s democratic future. Will the state continue down the path of authoritarianism, or will it recognize that diversity, equality, and open criticism are pillars of a truly free society?
In the face of growing repression, the courage shown by Bâ and others like him offers a glimmer of hope. The fight for justice in Mauritania for racial equality, freedom of expression, and human dignity is far from over.
