Six anti-slavery activists are in prison in Mauritania in a case rights experts say points to the challenges of ensuring a 2007 law criminalizing slavery is more than just words on paper.<\/p>\n
The six men, members of the Mauritanian anti-slavery group Initiative pour la r\u00e9surgence du mouvement abolitioniste (IRA), are set to go on trial in the capital, Nouakchott, on 5 January after two postponements. The authorities reportedly said the IRA members attacked security forces; the activists said they were simply demonstrating against slavery.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe suspected that the 2007 law would not be put into effect,\u201d Romana Cacchioli, Africa expert with Anti-Slavery International<\/a>, told IRIN. \u201cAnd indeed its application is not yet a reality. Cases that have been brought are either still in process but taking a long time or have not been pursued.\u201d<\/p>\n The law makes keeping slaves a crime in Mauritania, but the practice continues<\/a>. The NGO SOS Esclaves says nearly a fifth of Mauritania\u2019s 3.1 million people were slaves\u00a0as of\u00a02009.<\/p>\n On 13 December the six activists were arrested while protesting in front of a Nouakchott police station; the activists were calling for the group\u2019s leader to attend the questioning of two girls – aged nine and 13 – allegedly kept as slaves.<\/p>\n \u201cEach time a slave is questioned, the police don\u2019t want [IRA president] Biram Oula Dah Ould Abeid to attend,\u201d IRA member Hamady Lehbouss told IRIN. \u201cThis way the police are able to manipulate the slaves.\u201d<\/p>\n Le\u00efla Ahmed, IRA member and Ould Abeid\u2019s wife, was at the police station; she said she felt teargas and saw policemen beating IRA members, including her husband.<\/p>\n The Mauritanian authorities have declined to comment on the arrests or the protest in front of the Nouakchott police station.<\/p>\n Ineffective law? <\/strong><\/p>\n The 2007 law – adopted unanimously by Mauritania\u2019s National Assembly – criminalized slavery. But to date, according to IRA and SOS Esclaves, no one has been prosecuted for keeping slaves.<\/p>\n