Human Rights Commissioner: Effective Measures Taken To Combat Slavery Practices
Mr. Cheikh Ahmedou Ould Ahmed Salem Ould Sidi, the Commissioner for Human Rights, Humanitarian Action, and Relations with Civil Society, explained that Mauritania had taken some effective measures to combat various slavery practicesand punish their perpetrators.
In a speech delivered on 18 September in Geneva, during an interactive dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Slavery before the 34th session of the Human Rights Council, he added that those measures included the adoption of national legislation that criminalizes and punishes slavery practices, the creation of specialized courts to combat these practices, and the implementation of a national action plan to fight
against human trafficking and create a national body to combat human trafficking and migrant smuggling.
Likewise, a high-level ministerial committee was set up to combat human trafficking and a technical committee to monitor the implementation of the Special Rapporteur’s recommendations made in the report following his visit to our country last year.
During this visit, Mr. Tomoya Obokata was informed of the progress made in Mauritania in the fight against contemporary forms of slavery.
Mr. Ould Sidi declared that the ambition of the Mauritanian government is that our country be a model in the sub-region in terms of the human rights protection and promotion.
Here is the full text of that speech:
“Madame President;
Ladies and gentlemen;
I would like to begin by congratulating, on behalf of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Mr. Tomoya Obokata, the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including their causes and consequences, for the comprehensive presentation that he made before us today, regarding the visit he made to our country between 4 and 13May 2022. I also thank him for his professionalism and positive interaction with us throughout the visit.
While sharing with the Special Rapporteur most of the conclusions he reached and the recommendations he presented to us, after having closely examined the evident progress made in the country in the field of the fight against slavery under all its forms, we affirm the existence of a strong, constant, and rigorous political will to eliminate all phenomena resulting from outdated mentalities and practices, including slavery in all its forms, in application of the directives of His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, the President of the Republic.
Building on this commitment, we have made significant progress in this area, as indicated by the Special Rapporteur in the report, notably through the adoption and implementation of the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking, of which we mention:
-The strengthening of the national legal arsenal through the adoption and implementation of legislative texts in line with international standards and agreements ratified by Mauritania, particularly laws 031/2015 and 017/2020, respectively, criminalizing slavery and human trafficking;
-The intensification of awareness-raising campaigns and training on these laws throughout the national territory, targeting administrative, judicial, and security authorities, but also civil society and the general public;
-The consolidation of the principle of the fight against impunity by boosting the action of the competent courts, by strengthening their capacities and by rendering dissuasive judicial decisions in this regard;
-The publication of a joint ministerial circular between the Ministers of Justice, Interior, and Defense to guide and urge the competent authorities to pay particular attention to the issues of slavery and human trafficking and deal promptly and decisively with complaints and reported cases;
-Support by the Commission for Human Rights, Humanitarian, Action and Relations with Civil Society for victims of crimes of slavery and human trafficking from the start of the public procedure and their support for financial and social plans;
– Provide the Commission with a mechanism for exercising civil rights in legal proceedings linked to slavery practices to continue legal proceedings even if the civil party withdraws;
-Establishment of a joint monitoring unit between the Ministry of Justice, the Commission for Human Rights, and the Prosecutor’s Office to control and count cases relating to slavery and human trafficking before the courts.
This made it possible to elaborate and develop a precise database bringing together 106 ongoing cases for the year 2022-2023, including 57 cases in which judicial decisions have been rendered, with 98 defendants, of which 55 have been given prison sentence, 15 to a suspended prison sentence, and 1 to alternative sentences to imprisonment.
As for the cases for which no judicial decision has been rendered, there are 49 involving 82 accused, including 41 in pre-trial detention.
Madame President;
Ladies and gentlemen;
As a culmination of the above, the National Authority to Combat Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling was established and activated with the following objectives:
-Managing the Support and Assistance Fund for victims of slavery and human trafficking;
-Establishing a national mechanism for the identification and referral of victims to protect and care for them;
-Developing and managing a database based on statistics and information related to the fight against human trafficking and migrant smuggling;
-Coordinating effectively between the different actors and stakeholders.
I also inform you that my government has formed a high-level ministerial committee to combat human trafficking, headed by His Excellency the Prime Minister, and created a technical committee to monitor the implementation of the recommendations issued by the Special Rapporteur following his visit, subject of the report.
Finally, we assure you of our ambition to make Mauritania a model in the sub-region in the human rights field. We also affirm our commitment to continuing and strengthening positive interaction with the various mechanisms of the Human Rights Council.
Thank you, and may Allah’s peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you.”