Mauritanian detention results in the deaths of three protesters amid post-election unrest

Following mass arrests in Kaedi in response to post-election unrest, three protesters have perished in custody in Mauritania.

The interior ministry of Mauritania announced on Tuesday that three demonstrators had passed away while in custody. This occurs in the wake of the unrest that ensued in the town of Kaedi following the presidential election. Security forces conducted widespread arrests in the area.

The ministry reported that the demonstrations in the southern town near the Senegal border became violent late Monday, resulting in the detention of several individuals and the confrontation of demonstrators by security forces. “Unfortunately, three demonstrators lost their lives as a result of these circumstances.” The ministry reported that two of the individuals passed away in the detention facility in the presence of their fellow detainees, while the third passed away at a later date in the hospital.

However, the ministry did affirm that an investigation would be conducted, although it did not provide specific details on the causes of death or the total number of detainees.

The unrest occurred subsequent to the declaration of President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani as the victor of a second term on Sunday, as indicated by provisional results. These results have been rejected by his primary opponent, anti-slavery activist Biram Dah Abeid, who has alleged irregularities.

Authorities restricted mobile internet access on Tuesday in response to the ongoing demonstrations that reject the election results, as reported by internet monitor Netblocks.

This is not the initial instance of post-election disturbance in Mauritania. Small-scale protests were the result of comparable opposition concerns regarding the electoral process following the 2019 presidential election.