Widespread Arrests Designed to Blunt Backlash Over Mauritania Election

There was an interesting new post at Human Right Watch:

Mauritanian authorities detained for a week without charge at least three pro-opposition public figures apparently as part of efforts to smother dissent over the outcome of a June 22 presidential election, Human Rights Watch said today. Authorities also shut down the Internet and arrested dozens of opposition activists.

According to official results that four opposition candidates have called fraudulent, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani won 52 percent of the vote, avoiding a second-round run-off. President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, who took power in a 2008 coup and won elections in 2009 and 2014, publicly backed the candidacy of Ould Ghazouani, the former defense minister.

“By shutting down the internet and locking up opposition sympathizers, Mauritanian authorities give the impression they want to suppress opposition to the election results,” said Lama Fakih, acting Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch.

See full story here.