The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) welcomes the release of students from the University of Nouakchott who were arrested after criticising the Mauritanian president in a viral protest video.
The students had posted a video online on March 21, 2025, chanting slogans such as “President Zero” and “Incompetent President.” The footage, which quickly went viral, was reportedly a reaction to events the previous day, when a group of students were excluded from a fast-breaking banquet (iftar) held on campus in honour of the president. Their exclusion prompted angry protests on campus; security forces were deployed to suppress the protests, during which several students were reportedly beaten.
Three days later, at least a dozen students were arrested and prosecuted under a range of legal provisions, including the Penal Code, Cybercrime Law and the widely criticised Law on the Protection of National Symbols.
On March 26, 2025, the National Student Union of Mauritania (ANEM) announced that the detained students had been released. The union had mobilised legal representation and followed up on the case at the courthouse.
The MFWA welcomes the release of the students but maintains that the arrests should never have taken place. The use of repressive laws to silence dissenting voices, especially students expressing legitimate concerns, undermines democratic principles.