The only mention of honour crimes in Mauritania was found in a press release on the Website of the African Liberation Forces of Mauritania (Forces de libération africaines de Mauritanie, FLAM), which indicated that soldiers have participated in honour crimes (rapes) in the southern region of the country since 1989 (n.d.). No corroborating information on this subject and no additional information on honour crimes in Mauritania could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints for this Response.

It is worth noting that, according to Country Reports 2003, domestic violence is illegal in Mauritania and that human rights organizations and lawyers reported that "domestic violence was rare, particularly among the Moor population" (25 Feb. 2004, Sec. 5). Country Reports 2003 also stated that the police and judiciary occasionally intervened in cases of domestic violence, but that "women in traditional society rarely sought legal redress, relying instead upon family and ethnic group members to resolve domestic disputes" (25 Feb. 2004, Sec. 5). However, no corroboration of this information could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2003. 25 February 2004. United States Department of State. Washington, DC. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2003/29677.htm [Accessed 29 Nov. 2004]

Forces de libération africaines de Mauritanie (FLAM). n.d. "Mauritanie : Terreur de l'armée d'occupation dans le sud : expropriations, arrestations, tortures et viols à Seyenne (Gorgol)." http://members.lycos.co.uk/flamnet/info2001a.html [Accessed 29 Nov. 2004]

The following organizations could not respond to a request for information from the Research Directorate within the time constraints for this Response:

- Association mauritanienne des droits de l'homme (AMDH)

- Association mauritanienne des femmes juristes (AMAFEJ)

- Association nationale pour l'appui à l'initiative féminine - la protection infantile et environnementale

- Réseau mauritanien pour la promotion des droits de la femme

- Secrétariat d'État à la condition féminine

- United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Mauritania

Publications: Femmes sous lois musulmanes; Tribues, ethnies et pouvoir en Mauritanie; Women and Violence.

Internet sites, including: Amnesty International (AI), Arabic News, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), European Country of Origin Information Network (ECOI), Fraternet, Freedom House, Human Rights Watch (HRW), Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent, UNIFEM, United States Department of State, Women Watch, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), World News Connection (WNC).