Amnesty International Report 2001 noted that "political repression increased at the beginning of October [2000], after the Union of Democratic Forces-News Era (UFD-EN), urged the government to break off diplomatic ties with Israel.... Tensions increased at the end of October when the government dissolved the UFD-EN." The report added that a score of political opponents, including members of the UFD-EN, were arbitrarily detained and held incommunicado before being released without charge (ibid.).

Ahmed Ould Lafdal, Ahmed Ould Wediaa, Ahmed Ould Bah and Sidi Ould Salem, all senior members of the UFD-EN, were arrested on 9 and 11 November following the government's decision to dissolve the UFD-EN. They were held incommunicado in a secret place of detention before being released without charge on 25 November.

Mohamed El Hacen Ould Lebatt, Sidi Ould Yessa and Mouvid Ould Taleb, three students close to the UFD-EN, were arrested between 1 and 4 December, charged with ''incitement to undermine the security of the state and belonging to a criminal organization'', and transferred to Kaédi, in southern Mauritania. They were awaiting trial at the end of the year. Concerns were expressed by their defence lawyers and local human rights organizations about irregularities marring the legal proceedings.

...

On 1 November Mohamed Ould Moloud, a leading member of the UFD-EN, and two other opposition supporters, Cheikh Ould Sidaty and Mohamed Ould Rabah, were arbitrarily detained. The three were hit with batons at the time of their arrest and then beaten while being taken to the regional police headquarters. They were released in the evening after being questioned about their political affiliation (AI 2001).

Citing a Panafrican News Agency (PANA) report, one article noted that three members of the banned UFD-EN who were detained since early December [2000] were freed (Quest Economics Databases 6 Sept. 2001). The article added that "their release came a few days after the Supreme Court upheld an October 2000 government decree dissolving the UFD-EN (ibid.).

According to the UFD-EN website, four women and supporters of the party were arrested on 3 January 2001 in Elimina Department of Nouaktchott for protesting against the expropriation of their barracks, which were subsequently given to a family member of the Minister of Interior (4 Jan. 20021). These women involved are Marième Mint Seiga, Haja Mint Ahmenni, Loueina Mint Beiddali and Fatimatou Mint Sghaire (ibid.).

Citing unofficial sources, a 16 November 2002 Le Monde article stated that [translation] "eight women, all supporters of the Union for Democratic Forces-New Era (UFD-EN), the principal opposition party, were arrested on Monday 13 November [2000] in Nouakchoot during a demonstration demanding the diplomatic relations suspensions between Mauritania and Israel." However, the article did not provide names of those women.

In 29 August 2002 correspondence with the Research Directorate, a representative of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights in Mauritania-Europa Branch, noted that:

Members of the follow-up organization of the UFD/EN, called "Rassemblement des Forces Démocratiques" (RFD) have been beaten up and taken into custody during recent demonstrations in favour of Palestine or against political repression. If there are other factors involved along with the membership of the RFD (anti-government activism etc.), these, at the most, may give rise to torture and arbitrary arrests.

Information on the treatment of former government ministers (1979-1989) who were UFD-EN members could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, reports noted that UFD-EN was founded in 1991 (UFD-EN 19 Sept. 20002; Europa 2001 2001, 2672; Political Parties of Africa and the Middle East 1993, 187) and precisely on 2 October 1991 according to UFD-EN Website (19 Sept. 2002).

Amnesty International (AI) Report. 2001. 2001. "Mauritania." http://web.amnesty.org/web/ar2001.nsf/webafrcountries/MAURITANIA?OpenDocument [Accessed 28 Aug. 2002]

Committee for the Defence of Human Rights in Mauritania (CDHRM). 29 August 2002. Correspondence.

The Europa World Year Book 2001. 2001. 42nd ed. Vol. II. London: Europa Publications.?

Le Monde [Paris]. 16 November 2000. Smith Stephen and Tuquoi J.P. "La politique de rapprochement avec l'israel du président Ould Taya divise la Mauritanie; plusieurs opposants au régime de Nouakchott ont été arrêtés." (NEXIS)

Political Parties of Africa and the Middle East. 1993. Edited By Roger East and Tanya Joseph. The High, Harlow, Essex: London Group UK.

Quest Economics Database [Sidcup, Kent, UK]. 6 September 2001. "Mauritania: Review." (NEXIS)

Union des forces democratiques-Ère Nouvelle (UFD-EN). 19 September 2002. "Note de présentation de l'Union des forces démocratiques/Ère Nouvelle." < [Accessed 19 Sept. 2002]

_____. 4 January 2001. "Communiqué." http://www.udf-en.org [Accessed 19 Sept. 2002]

Africa Confidential [London]. 2000- July 2002.

Africa Research Bulletin [London]. 2000- June 2002.

IRB Databases.

Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent [Paris]. 2002.

LEXIS/NEXIS.

Resource Centre country file. Mauritania.

West Africa [London]. 2000-2002.

Websites, including:

Africatime.

Agence mauritanienne d'information.

Allafrica.

Amnesty International.

FIDH.

HRW.

Mauritanie en ligne.