Menu

Mauritania lawmakers sentenced to 4 years after insulting president over racial bias claims
📰
0

Mauritania lawmakers sentenced to 4 years after insulting president over racial bias claims

The Seattle Times·Associated Press The Associated Press·28 days ago
#x39ZCXF5
Reading 0:00
15s threshold

NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania (AP) — Two female opposition lawmakers in Mauritania were sentenced Monday to four years in prison after insulting the president and making claims of racial bias, their lawyers told The Associated Press, in the West African nation long criticized by rights groups for human rights abuses and the persistence of slavery. Last month, lawmakers Marieme Cheikh Dieng and Ghamou Achour were charged with “attacking the symbols of the state” and “calling for gatherings with a view to undermine public security” after they posted messages on social media critical of President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani. The two lawmakers had called in several social media posts for Ghazouani’s removal and accused the Arab-dominated justice system of treating Black citizens and descendants of slaves as second-class citizens. The lawmakers’ attorneys — Mohamed Ould Ahmed Miske, Yaghoub Ould Sèïf and Moctar Ould Ely — confirmed the verdict of the trial at a criminal court in the capital Nouakchott to the AP.…

Continue reading — create a free account

Join HashtagPLUS to read full articles, follow hashtags, vote, and join the conversation.

Read More