UN working group on arbitrary detention to visit Mauritania

18 February 2008



GENEVA: The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention will undertake an official mission to the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, from 19 February to 3 March, in order to visit prisons, children’s re-education centres, detention centres for illegal immigrants and police stations in the capital Nouakchott and three other cities.

The Working Group, which is responding to an invitation by the Mauritanian government, will meet with executive, legislative and judicial authorities, including magistrates, judges, and lawyers. Meetings will also be held with representatives of various civil society institutions and non-governmental organizations.

The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention will be represented by its Chairperson-Rapporteur Leïla Zerrougui (from Algeria), and its Vice-Chairperson Manuela Carmena Castrillo (Spain). It will also be accompanied by its Secretary and other officials.

The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention was established by the former Human Rights Commission’s Resolution 1991/42. Its mandate was renewed for three years by Human Right Council Resolution 6/4 of 28 September 2007. The Working Group has three additional members: Soledad Villagra de Biedermann (of Paraguay); Tamás Bán (Hungary) and Seyed Mohammed Hashemi (Islamic Republic of Iran).

More information on the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention can be found at: http://www.ohchr.org//Documents/Publications/FactSheet26en.pdf))