Abuse of Prisoners and Death Sentence for Young Man accused of Apostasy

The historic trials of December 24, 2014 have produced one death sentence and allegations of prisoner abuse.

The first day of the trial in Rosso Mauritania of the IRA – Mauritanie members, including Biram Dah Abeid and the other leaders of IRA, was preceded by a night of terror, sleeplessness and deprivation of food and […]

L’Obs Publishes on Slavery in Mauritania, Amazing Photos

Après Foreign Policy et Jeune Afrique, l’Obs consacre son « Grands formats » à Biram Dans son édition n° 2613 du 4 au 10 décembre 2014, le grand hebdomadaire parisien, « L’Obs » (anciennement “Le Nouvel Observateur”), consacre six pages de sa rubrique « Grands formats » au président de l’Initiative pour la Résurgence du […]

Letter from Jail: Biram demands a trial

Today we received a letter from Biram Dah Abeid sent by him from the jail in Rosso Mauritania. Biram and his colleagues from IRA face charges of incitement to violence, troubling public order, outrage of the public authority, membership in a non-recognized organization.

Here is the letter, in French and English:

Initiative for the Resurgence […]

21 Arrested in ROSSO Up-Date

  UP-DATE: ROSSO, MAURITANIA Imprisonment and Trial of Biram Dah Abeid and Colleagues November 24, 2014 Alice Bullard, CEO IRA – USA Washington DC

  I. Next Hearing in Rosso scheduled for November 25, 2014 (note: hearing dates are subject to change by authorities) Samba Diagana, Abidine Matalla, Hassane Mahmoud et Mohamed Yacoub will be […]

LEGAL DEFENSE FUND: FREE the ROSSO PRISONERS

Please Contribute to the IRA – USA Legal Defense Fund

Nov. 13th Update: Mariem Cheikh Arrested, Biram speaks from Jail, Reports of Torture

Mariem Cheikh, a high level officer of IRA – Mauritania was arrested today in Nouakchott. Mariem was at a demonstration organized to protest the previous arrests in Rosso and in Nouakchott. The demonstration, following IRA’s deep commitment to peaceful social change, was non-violent. Mariem was the only person arrested. First hand witnesses said it was […]

IRA Members imprisoned in Rosso

November 11, 2014 IRA-USA Press Release

IRA Members imprisoned in Rosso

Soldiers surrounded an anti-slavery protest in Rosso, Mauritania this morning, firing tear-gas cannisters and then moving in to arrest Biram Dah Abeid and eight other anti-slavery activists. Biram Dah Abeid is the president of the Initiative for the Resurgent Abolitionist Movement of Mauritania (IRA […]

Death Threats against Human Rights Defenders in Mauritania

 

On a television interview show called Wataniya, Yebdhihih Dahi called for the murder of Biram Dah Abeid, Aminetous Moctar, Mahfoudha Brahim and all philosophy teachers.

Yebdihih Dahi is the president Friends of the Prophet (Amis du prophète), an extremist religious organization. This call for the murder of human rights defenders echoes the earlier attacks […]

L’Affaire de la grande mosquée de Nouakchott

This is from an email from Biram Dah Abeid:

 

je vous transfert ce document, écrit un sympatisant d’IRA, mais contenant une vidéo et des photos illustrant l’injustice dont ont été victimes les membres d’IRA, dans ce que d’aucun appelle, l’affaire de la grande mosquée de Nouakchott: Jusqu’à quand les imams esclavagistes seront au dessus […]

Five Arrests; Tear Gas and Clubs used against Human Rights Defenders

We have received an urgent communication from Nouakchott.

Fighting and police repression have followed from an Imam’s angry sermon against IRA and Biram Dah Abeid. The Imam, Ahmedou Ould Lemrabott Ould Habibourahman, used his Friday October 24th sermon to severely criticize Biram and IRA, denouncing them as apostates, enemies of Islam and of Muslims, and […]

Rally at the UN

This past Monday, September 29th, the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly was met with the US-Mauritanian Diaspora group, fighting for justice and public awareness for issues concerning the slavery and ethnic cleansing taking place in Mauritania. With hopes to influence the UN to meet its demands for their countries human rights violations, […]

Slavery Then and Now: Profits, Us and Them

Working for human rights in Mauritania makes certain things very clear. Like the power of the state to make people’s lives better, or make them miserable. Like how the state can use the police to make criminals out of human rights defenders. Like how standing up for the rights of slaves and ex-slaves in a […]