NOUAKCHOTT, October 28, 2008 (MENASSAT) – Isselmou Ould Abdelkader, a two-time minister and independent researcher, was charged on October 26 with two counts of "lying" and "undermining the morale of the army". The charges relate to statements Abdelkader made on the popular national talk show "Points Lumineux" on October 20.

On August 6, a group of military officers ousted Mauritanian President Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi in a bloodless coup d'etat. Since the takeover, a draconian crackdown on press freedom and freedom of speech has taken place.

On October 20, Abdelkader criticized the new military junta in no uncertain terms.

"The head of the military council is a danger to the country with his repetitive coups, the presidential guard led by [General and now acting leader] Ould Abdel Aziz is an armed militia, and some of its members are foreigners," Abdelkader said.

One day after his TV appearance, Abdelkader's house was raided and the former MP arrested. After a few days in jail, the General Prosecutor decided to try him for "weakening army moral… and insulting the divine entity, by lying through the media."

Demonstrators from Nouakchott University headed to the Justice Palace after hearing about Abdelkader's sentence on Sunday, and demanded his release and the reinstatement of the democratically elected president.

The talk show "Points Lumineux" had invited both pro- and anti-coup supporters on the day Abdelkader appeared. But when news of Abdelkader's statements spread, a planned rerun of the program was killed by government censors. Officials at state TV said the broadcast suspension was the result of moving to a different broadcasting system.

Abdelkader was not the only one targeted. Everybody who appeared on the show, including anchor-journalist Sidi Ould Lemjad, and his guests Mustafa Ould Aklieb and Abu Mdin Ould Abat, were also brought in for questioning.

Sidi Ould Lemjad and Limam Cheikh Ould Ely, the director of Mauritania TV, were dismissed on October 9. In addition, Cheikh Ould Ely was arrested and
questioned by the National Gendarmerie on 22 October.

Abdelkader was the only one who was actually prosecuted, however.

Death before an apology

After appearing three times in front of the General Prosecutor, members of Abdelkader's family as well as his supporters confirmed that he has refused to apologize for statements.

The aim was to have his apology broadcast on official Mauritanian media, which was a condition of his release.

"I'd rather die from hanging than withdraw these statements," Abdelkader was quoted as saying on October 26.

According to lawyers, Abdelkader faces up to five years in prison for undermining the morale of the Mauritanian army and an additional two years
for peddling falsehoods.

Abdelkader has since been sent to a civilian prison in Nouakchott.

Sources close to his family said the state representative at the judiciary called General Muhammad Ould Abdel Aziz and said, "I found nothing incriminating in Abdelkader's case", upon which the general simply hung up the phone.

The family, which has organized several protests over the past week, said that Abdelkader's supporters have faced police brutality.

Local rights groups, like the Mauritanian Human Rights Organizations Union (FONADH), have expressed outrage at Abdelkader's arrest, saying it represented a policy of silencing free voices, and gagging the media by punishing anyone who dares to criticize the new government of General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.

Leaders of the opposition National Front Defending Democracy held a press conference last week protesting Abdelkader's arrest.

Muhammad Ould Mawloud, the leader of the anti-coup front said, "The General is seeking to establish a tyrannical dictatorship in Mauritania, thus Aslam Ould Abdelkader is one of the high profile victims in this dictatorship. He expressed an opinion everyone shares with him."