Overview 109 session – Mauritania
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The review of the Mauritania’s Initial Report on the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights took place on the 21st and 22nd of October 2013. This report, submitted six years late, raised many concerns in the minds of the Human Rights Committee most of which the State delegation was, unfortunately, unable to assuage through further clarification during the interactive dialogue.
Several Committee members noted that some provisions of national law are contrary to the Covenant, notably the criminalisation of homosexuality and the prohibition on Muslims changing their religion, both of which ‘offences’ carry the death penalty, in violation of Article 6 of the ICCPR.
The Mauritanian delegation was also unable to provide the necessary clarifications in relation to investigations into the extra-judicial executions, torture and ill-treatment which occurred in the context of various demonstrations in 2011 and 2012.
Finally, echoing the concerns of civil society, the Committee requested that the Mauritanian authorities redouble their efforts to combat slavery, which is still widespread.
The Human Rights Committee’s Concluding Observations were made public on the 31st of October 2013. Among the recommendations four were selected for the follow-up procedure, under which the State should provide information on the implementation of the Committee’s recommendations within one year. They are: paragraph 5 on improving awareness of the ICCPR at the national level, particularly with a view to promoting its use in national courts; paragraph 14 on the definition and criminalisation of torture; paragraph 17 on slavery; and paragraph 19 on conditions of detention.
The Second periodic report should be submitted by 1st November 2017.
For more information, see the Alternative Report prepared by a coalition of NGOs and the press release issued by those who attended the session.
The complete video of the review (in French) is available from: http://www.treatybodywebcast.org/hrctte-109-session-mauritania
