Mauritanian Government responsibility
The Mauritanian government bears direct responsibility for the persistence of modern slavery due to its failure to enforce legal prohibitions, its suppression of anti-slavery activism, and its continued denial of the issue. Despite the formal abolition of slavery in 1981 and its criminalization in 2007 and 2015, authorities have systematically obstructed efforts to prosecute perpetrators, allowing slavery to remain deeply embedded in society. The judiciary, largely controlled by the ruling elite, routinely dismisses cases, reclassifies slavery-related complaints under lesser offenses, or refuses to investigate altogether, ensuring impunity for those who exploit enslaved individuals. Furthermore, the government actively represses journalists, activists, and human rights defenders who expose slavery, subjecting them to harassment, imprisonment, and intimidation. Rather than protecting victims, state institutions have prioritized preserving the status quo, reinforcing racial and economic hierarchies that sustain hereditary servitude. By failing to implement meaningful legal and institutional reforms, the Mauritanian government remains complicit in perpetuating modern slavery. Without decisive political action and accountability at the highest levels, slavery will continue to persist under official denial and legal inaction.
Modern Slavery in Mauritania
Victims of Slavery
The Persistence of Modern Slavery
Despite the official abolition of slavery in 1981 and the criminalization of slave ownership in 2007 and 2015, modern slavery remains a significant issue in Mauritania. Tens of thousands of individuals, primarily from the Haratine and Afro-Mauritanian communities, continue to live under conditions of bonded labor, domestic servitude, and forced marriages. Estimates from local rights organizations suggest that up to 20 percent of the population remains affected, with many Haratines working on farms and in households without wages, education, or legal protection. Slave status is inherited through maternal lineage, trapping generations in a cycle of servitude with limited avenues for escape.
Weak law enforcement and entrenched social hierarchies sustain these exploitative practices, ensuring that modern slavery remains embedded within Mauritania’s economic and political systems. Even those who manage to escape face systemic discrimination, making reintegration into society and economic self-sufficiency nearly impossible.
Forms of Modern Slavery
Modern slavery in Mauritania manifests in various forms, including forced labor, human trafficking, child exploitation, and forced marriages. Women and girls are disproportionately affected, often subjected to domestic servitude, sexual abuse, and coerced pregnancies, with their children automatically inheriting their enslaved status. Enslaved women have no control over their lives or bodies, and in many cases, they are considered property.
Children, particularly talibés, are often exploited under the guise of religious education, forced into street begging under harsh and abusive conditions. Many victims, especially Haratines and Black Mauritanians, remain trapped in exploitative labor in agriculture, livestock herding, and domestic service, working without wages and under constant coercion. Despite international condemnation, Mauritania’s government has failed to implement protective measures or provide meaningful support to those at risk.
Systematic Obstruction of Prosecutions in Mauritania
The Story Moctar who was born into slavery
Cases Closed Without Investigation
These victims had their complaints dismissed outright by the police, preventing any legal action.
- Mabrouka and family (October 2010, Trarza Region)
- Hanna S. and her two children (November 2007, Trarza Region)
- Mbarka L. (September 2011, Gorgol Region)
- Selama and Maimouna (November 2011, Hodh El Charqui Region)
Cases Closed by the Prosecution
In these cases, complaints were initially filed but later dismissed by prosecutors, demonstrating a lack of willingness to pursue slavery-related charges.
- Deybala (September 2011, Assaba Region)
- Hanna M. (April 2009, Teyarett – Nouakchott)
- Fatimetou (June 2009, Toujounine – Nouakchott)
- Oueichetou (August 2011, Arafat – Nouakchott)
- Mbarik (August 2007, Trarza Region)
- Tslim (September 2011, Trarza Region)
Cases Reclassified or Downgraded
Instead of recognizing these cases as slavery-related crimes, authorities reclassified them under lesser offenses, significantly reducing the chances of justice for the victims.
- Oum Elkhair (July 2007, Assaba Region) – Reclassified as a work-related dispute and settled with a financial arrangement.
- Salem (September 2011, Trarza Region) – Only prosecuted on charges of battery, ignoring the core issue of slavery.
Cases Impacted by Intimidation or Misclassification
Some victims faced external pressure that forced them to retract complaints, while others saw their cases misclassified under less serious charges.
- Salma and Oum El Issa (December 2010, Arafat – Nouakchott) – Plaintiff withdrew the complaint due to pressure from slave-owning masters.
- Unidentified Case – Prosecuted under child exploitation laws instead of slavery, preventing adequate legal consequences for the perpetrators.
Slavery in Mauritania
Systematic Obstruction of Slavery Cases in Mauritania
The handling of slavery cases in Mauritania highlights systematic obstruction at every level of the justice system, from police refusal to investigate complaints to prosecutorial inaction and judicial manipulation. Cases are often dismissed without investigation, or if they proceed, prosecutors refuse to press charges, demonstrating a lack of political will to address modern slavery. In some instances, cases are reclassified under lesser charges, such as work-related disputes or battery, ensuring minimal consequences for perpetrators. Additionally, victims face pressure and intimidation, leading many to withdraw their complaints out of fear of retaliation.
Implications
The failure to prosecute slavery-related crimes in Mauritania reinforces structural impunity, allowing perpetrators to continue exploiting individuals without legal consequences. The judiciary’s lack of independence and bias toward the ruling elite, particularly the Beydane class, ensures that slavery remains deeply embedded in Mauritanian society. Furthermore, the criminalization of anti-slavery activism and suppression of human rights organizations prevent meaningful reform. Without stronger legal enforcement, independent judicial oversight, and international pressure, modern slavery will persist, depriving thousands of their fundamental human rights. Comprehensive judicial and institutional reforms are necessary to ensure that justice is served, victims are protected, and slavery is eradicated in practice, not just in law.