International PEN strongly protests the two-year prison sentence handed to online newspaper editor Hanevy Ould Dehah on February 4, 2010, for allegedly violating public decency, inciting revolt and “criminal publication.” Dehah has already served a six-month sentence on the same charges that expired in December 2009, but he has continued to be held in custody. PEN believes that Dehah’s conviction and continued imprisonment are in direct violation of his right to freedom of expression and opinion and calls for his immediate and unconditional release.

Background Information

On February 4, 2010, Hanevy Ould Dehah, editor of the news web site Taqadoumy (Arabic for Progressive), was sentenced to two years in prison on charges of violating public decency, inciting revolt and "criminal publication.” He has already served six months in prison on the same charges and should have been freed in December 2009. However, instead of releasing him, the authorities called for a retrial, citing alleged procedural flaws in the first trial. Press freedom groups have described Dehah’s retrial as arbitrary and politically motivated and journalists in Mauritania have reportedly been campaigning for his release. His lawyers plan to appeal before the Supreme Court.

Dehah was arrested on June 18, 2009, following a complaint by the head of the opposition Alliance for Justice and Democracy/ Movement for Renovation (AJD/MR), who was then a presidential candidate. The politician was angered by an April 22, 2009 article that referred to his alleged purchase of a villa costing 30 million ouguiyas (approx. 83,000 Euros) in one of the capital’s wealthiest neighborhoods. The politician and his family reportedly said the article was “defamatory and baseless.”

Dehah was charged on June 24, and on August 19 was given a six-month prison sentence for “offending public decency.” He was acquitted of charges of defamation, inciting rebellion and inciting crimes and offenses “because of the absence of enforceable laws applicable to electronic media offenses.” Taking into account the two months he had spent in prison before being sentenced, Dehah was expected to be released on December 24.

However, Dehah remained in custody and on January 14, 2010, the Supreme Court ruled that his case should be sent back to an investigating judge for a new trial. The authorities reportedly refused to comment on the situation; the justice minister said that he was unaware of the case even though it has been widely reported in the media. A hunger strike by Dehah that lasted several weeks was unsuccessful in bringing about his release. On February 4, 2010, Dehah was retried and sentenced to a further two years in prison on what are essentially the same charges. He remains imprisoned in Dart Naim prison in the capital Nouakchott.

Write A Letter

  • Protesting the two-year prison sentence handed to online editor Hanevy Ould Dehah on February 4, 2010, for allegedly violating public decency, inciting revolt and “criminal publication”;
  • Pointing out that Dehah has already served a six-month sentence on the same charges and should have been released in December 2009;
  • Emphasizing that Dehah’s conviction and continued detention are in violation of his right to freedom of expression protected under international human rights treaties to which Mauritania  is a party, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights;
  • Calling for Dehah’s immediate and unconditional release.

Send Your Letter To

President of the Republic
Président de la République
Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz
Présidence de la République Islamique de Mauritanie
B.P. 184
Nouakchott, Mauritania
Fax : +222 525 98 01
 
Minister of Justice
Limama Ould Teguedi
Ministre de la Justice
B.P. 350 Nouakchott, Mauritania
Fax: +222 529 49 84

It may be difficult to send faxes to Mauritania, therefore please also send a copy of your letter to the representative for Mauritania in your country if possible.
 
Please send appeals immediately. Contact PEN if sending appeals after April 8, 2010: ftw [at] pen.org