Resolution on the Situation in Mauritania
We, Participants of the Forum on the Participation of NGOs in the 44th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples ‘Rights,
Condemning the coup d’Etat perpetrated on August 6, 2008 by the military junta lead by the General Ould Abdel Aziz,
Condemning the arrest and arbitrary detention of the overthrown president Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi and of the Prime Minister Yahia Ould Ahmed Waghf,
Considering the Article 4 of the Constitutive Act of the African Union which guarantees the respect of democratic principles, human rights, rule of law and good governance; and which condemns and rejects unconstitutional changes of governments;
Recalling also the relevant provisions of the July 1999 Algiers Decision AHG/142 (XXXV), the July 2000 Lomé Declaration and of the Protocol relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council on unconstitutional changes of government, as well as the provisions of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance ratified by Mauritania on July 7, 2008;
Considering the lack of response from the military junta to the September 23, 2008 ultimatum of the African Union Peace and Security Council requiring the return of the constitutional order and the immediate release of political actors arbitrarily detained before October 6, 2008;
Condemning the restrictions to freedom of expression and of peaceful demonstrations, notably the violent repression by security forces of a demonstration organised on October 7 by six Mauritanian trade-unions which were calling for the return of constitutional order;
The NGO Forum calls on the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to adopt a resolution:
1. Condemning firmly the coup d’état perpetrated in Mauritania;
2. Requiring the immediate return of constitutional order and the immediate release of political actors arbitrarily detained;
3. Calling the African Union to take strong sanctions if the constitutional order in not restored before the end of 2008;
4. Calling for the suspension of Mauritania as a member of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights if the constitutional order in not restored before the end of 2008;
5. Requesting the strict respect of the provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, notably the right to information, the freedom of expression and the right to peaceful demonstration,
6. Calling for the respect of the rights of Human Rights Defenders.
Done in Abuja, November 9th, 2008
