Mauritania: Death sentence against blogger upheld

A Mauritanian appeal court has upheld the death sentence handed down by a lower court against a blogger who had been convicted of apostasy, according to BBC News in a report dated 22 April 2016. The case has now been referred to the Supreme Court. The blogger, Mohamed Cheikh Ould Mohamed M'khaitir, had criticized the role of Islam in perpetuating discrimination and a caste system in Mauritania. Although anti-slavery laws were passed in 1981, slavery is still practiced in Mauritania. Yonas Dembele, persecution analyst at World Watch Research, says: "Mauritania has not carried out an official death sentence since 1987. There is therefore a strong likelihood that the Supreme Court will rule that the defendant is repentant and reduce the sentence to a fine and up to two years imprisonment. Be this as it may, this case highlights how blasphemy and apostasy laws are applied in the country in a very harsh manner that is absolutely incompatible with freedom of belief and expression. This case is indicative of the sort of persecution that is faced by those who - like Christians - have convictions and beliefs different from the Muslim majority. In Mauritania conversion from Islam to another religion is punishable by death. Proselytization is also regarded as a serious crime."