Ahmed Ould Samba, a human rights activist was released on August 28, 2025 by the Court of Appeal of West Nouakchott. Ahmed Ould Samba was taken into prison custody on January 22, 2025 by the prosecutor’s office of the region of West Nouakchott after being summoned by the anti-cybercrime unit of the police for alleging discriminatory recruitment and promotions in Mauritania’s public service in a Facebook publication.
On May 29, 2025 the Criminal Chamber of the Nouakchott West Court today sentenced political activist Ahmed Ould Samba to one year in prison (with eight months of the sentence required to be served), after the Public Prosecutor had requested a two-year sentence. After the verdict announcing Ahmed’s sentence, the activist’s defense team filed an appeal with the Court of Appeal seeking to have the sentence overturned.
On August 28, 2025, the Court ruled the appeal admissible and amended the judgment delivered on May 29 by lifting the remainder of the sentence imposed on the activist by the Criminal Chamber of the Nouakchott West State Court, thereby ordering his release.
The MFWA welcomes the activist’s release, which comes in a context marked by persistent repression of critical voices. Such repression often creates the perception that the judiciary is being used more as a tool of repression than as an impartial institution. It is therefore essential that justice operate independently and be able to rule on such sensitive cases involving the highest offices of the state, in order to strengthen citizens’ genuine trust in public institutions.
