Mauritania, Africa

Mauritania is a very poor country in northwest Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the west. The civilian government was overthrown on 6 August 2008, in a military coup d'état. The president, the prime minister and the minister of internal affairs were arrested. A majority of the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for a livelihood. Oil was discovered offshore in Mauritania in 2001. Regarding homosexuality, Shari'a law applies in Mauritania. Any adult Muslim caught engaging in an "unnatural act" with a member of the same sex is punishable with the death sentence by public stoning.

 

 

Mauritania Arrests 10 Gay Men After Purported Gay Wedding

Nouakchott, Mauritania — Authorities in Mauritania have arrested 10 men after a video appeared on social media of a gay couple appearing to take part in a traditional wedding ceremony, human rights groups said. Police later determined the gathering was a birthday party but the men remain in custody with no trial date set yet.… Read more »

Mauritania: discreet inclusion of gays in the HIV response.

Any news concerning the struggles of LGBTI is rare out of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, a West-African country of about 3.5 million souls that achieved independence from France in 1960. One of four African countries where same-sex relations between men are punishable by death, article 308 states: “Any adult Muslim man who commits an… Read more »

French travel alert hurts Mauritania economy (non-gay story)

In the Mauritanian province of Adrar, the once-booming tourism industry has come to a halt after the French foreign ministry issued a warning against travelling to the area. Mauritanian Tourism Minister Bamba Ould Dramane has recently criticised the French government’s reports on security in northern Mauritania, describing them as “unfounded”. The 2010-2011 reports “are not… Read more »

Mauritania News and Reports

Also see: More About Coup 0 The situation of homosexuals, including treatment by government authorities 1/04 1 Status of homosexuality: illegal 1/05 1a Mauritania: Fight against AIDS slow to take root in port city of Nouadhibou 4/05 2 AIDS "caravan of hope" travels river valley to break taboos 5/05 3 Mauritanian government, NGOs discuss human… Read more »