Paris, 30 July 2026. Human rights in Mauritania continue to be undermined by a worrying gap between the law and reality. As a result of an international solidarity and advocacy mission conducted in Nouakchott in May 2026, the report published by the FIDH and its member organisation, the AMDH highlights the persistence of serious violations of fundamental freedoms and of the rights of women, migrants, and refugees, and the continued existence of slavery, despite reforms that authorities describe as ambitious. Both organisations also emphasise the need to to address humanitarian liabilities, as a crucial step towards combating impunity and realising the long-awaited transitional justice process.
"Mauritania has a more comprehensive legal framework today than it did a few years ago," said Drissa Traoré, Secretary General of the FIDH. "However, these advances will remain merely symbolic as long as the authorities fail to guarantee their effective implementation and human rights defenders continue to be prosecuted for their activism. Human rights cannot be limited to a publicity stunt."
The report conclusions points to the numerous international commitments made and the institutional and legislative reforms undertaken by Mauritania, including during its Universal Periodic Review before the United Nations in January 2026. The advances remain largely theoretical, however. Organisations document the worrying shrinking of civic space, characterised by the repression of peaceful protests, the judicial harassment of human rights defenders, journalists, and anti-slavery activists, as well as the increased use of legislation to curtail the freedoms of expression, association, and assembly.
The report also express concern regarding the persistence of the death penalty in Mauritania’s legal framework. Although no execution has been recorded in the last 39 years (the last one took place in 1987), courts continue to hand down death sentences, particularly for offenses such as apostasy or blasphemy. Moreover, during its Universal Periodic Review, Mauritania rejected recommendations to limit the use of capital punishment and to start working towards its abolition. The FIDH and the AMDH urge authorities to declare an official moratorium on executions and initiate a dialogue to abolish the death penalty with all relevant stakeholders, in line with the trend observed across the African continent.
The report also highlights the enduring obstacles to ending descent-based slavery -which continues to affect thousands of people despite having been criminalised-, the shortcomings in the protection of the rights of women and girls and the violence against migrants and refugees. It emphasises that the institutions established to protect human rights remain inadequately resourced and are thus unable to fulfil their legally mandated duties and responsibilities.
Fatimata Mbaye, President of the AMDH explains: "Mauritanian authorities regularly highlight the progress made in recent years. The credibility of these reforms depends largely on their effective implementation. Guaranteeing fundamental freedoms, protecting those who defend human rights and ensuring access to justice for all victims are essential conditions if Mauritania is to fulfil its international commitments".
The FIDH and the AMDH call on Mauritanian authorities to guarantee freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, to put an end to the judicial harassment of human rights defenders and journalists, to step up the fight against slavery and impunity, to protect the rights of migrants and refugees, to expedite the adoption of effective measures against sexual and gender-based violence, to pursue the reforms needed to abolish the death penalty and to resolve the humanitarian liability.
The report is available only in French: Mauritanie : la protection des droits humains, un chantier inachevé
