The late-night arrest of prominent Mauritanian anti-corruption activist Mohamed Ould Ghadda has triggered widespread condemnation from opposition leaders, civil society organizations, and transparency advocates, reigniting concerns about the state’s commitment to accountability and the rule of law. Ghadda’s detention, which came just hours after he publicly challenged prosecutors over a dismissed corruption case, has become a flashpoint in an increasingly tense struggle between whistleblowers and a political system critics say shields powerful interests from scrutiny.

Mohamed Ould Ghadda, a former senator and president of the Organization for Inclusive Transparency (OTI), was arrested at his home in Nouakchott just before midnight last Saturday. According to his supporters, the timing and circumstances of the arrest strongly suggest retaliation. Earlier that day, Ghadda had announced that he was prepared to present documentary evidence of bribery in a multi-million-euro public project-a case that prosecutors had abruptly closed only days earlier.

Opposition lawmakers were quick to denounce the move. In a joint statement, five opposition members of parliament warned that Ghadda’s arrest could not be viewed in isolation. They described a “worrying context” in which whistleblowers are increasingly surveilled, dissenting voices suppressed, and sensitive corruption cases dismissed without serious investigation, while those accused of wrongdoing remain untouched. The lawmakers called for Ghadda’s immediate and unconditional release, framing the arrest as a direct threat to transparency and democratic accountability.

The president of Mauritania’s largest opposition party, the National Rally for Reform and Development, Hamadi Ould Sid’El Moctar, echoed those concerns. He described Ghadda’s imprisonment as a deeply troubling signal, particularly given that the activist had publicly declared his readiness to submit evidence proving “real corruption.” In Moctar’s view, the episode highlights a perverse dynamic in which those exposing corruption face jail, while those implicated escape legal consequences.

Ghadda’s arrest followed his sharp criticism of a decision by the Nouakchott West Prosecutor’s Office to close an investigation into alleged bribery tied to the construction of a forensic laboratory for the Mauritanian police. In an online video circulated shortly before his detention, Ghadda accused authorities of prematurely dismissing the case and stated that he would submit evidence of corruption the following Monday. That opportunity never came.

Despite repeated inquiries, Mauritanian authorities have offered no public explanation for the arrest. Requests for clarification sent to the Ministry of the Interior and the government spokesperson went unanswered, reinforcing concerns about opacity and arbitrary use of state power. Nearly a week after his detention, no formal charges had been filed.

According to Mustapha Sidati, Secretary General of OTI, Ghadda is currently being held at the police cybercrime unit in Nouakchott. Speaking after visiting him in detention, Sidati expressed alarm at the contradiction between official rhetoric and reality. “There is now strong rhetoric against corruption coming from the President of the Republic,” he said. “It is very troubling that they would arrest the president of the only national association that is genuinely fighting corruption in the country.”

For many observers, Ghadda’s case exemplifies a long-standing pattern in Mauritania: public commitments to reform coexist with practices that discourage scrutiny of powerful networks. While authorities frequently announce anti-corruption initiatives, civil society groups argue that enforcement remains selective and politically motivated.

This is not the first time Ghadda has faced imprisonment for his activism. His current detention marks the third time he has been jailed in connection with his political and anti-corruption work. In 2017, he spent nearly a year in custody after criticizing the dissolution of Mauritania’s Senate, a controversial constitutional move that concentrated power in the executive branch. In 2024, he was again detained-this time for almost four months-after OTI published findings exposing inflated costs and alleged mismanagement in the Aftout Ech-Chargui water supply project in southern Mauritania.

That project, largely financed by a €22.3 million loan from the French Development Agency, was intended to deliver drinking water to hundreds of villages. OTI’s investigation concluded that much of the infrastructure was either unfinished or substandard, leaving water unavailable at the vast majority of public taps. According to the report, cost-cutting measures and poor workmanship meant that the project failed to meet its technical specifications.

One of the companies involved, BIS-TP5-owned by Mauritanian businessman Mohamed Zine El Abidine-responded by filing a defamation lawsuit against Ghadda, accusing him of spreading false information. However, while Ghadda was still in detention this year, the Nouakchott West state court acquitted him of all defamation charges. The court’s ruling relied in part on an independent judicial expert assessment released in November, which substantiated OTI’s findings and confirmed serious deficiencies in the project.

That acquittal was widely seen as a rare victory for investigative activism in Mauritania. Yet Ghadda’s latest arrest has cast doubt on whether such legal vindications offer any lasting protection to whistleblowers. Civil society groups warn that repeated detentions, even without convictions, serve as a powerful deterrent to others who might consider exposing corruption.

The case at the center of Ghadda’s current detention-the police forensics laboratory project-raises similar concerns. OTI had alleged that three Mauritanian officials accepted bribes in connection with the project, which involved millions of euros in public funds. Prosecutors closed the investigation last week, stating that all contractual obligations had been fulfilled properly and that no harm to the public interest had occurred. Ghadda publicly rejected that conclusion, arguing that authorities had ignored or suppressed evidence pointing to serious wrongdoing.

By arresting Ghadda just as he announced plans to release further documentation, critics say the state has sent a chilling message: challenging prosecutorial decisions carries personal risk. Human rights advocates argue that this approach undermines both judicial independence and public trust, particularly in a country where corruption has long been cited as a major obstacle to development.

As pressure mounts for Ghadda’s release, his detention has become emblematic of a broader struggle over transparency in Mauritania. For civil society, the issue extends beyond one individual. At stake, they argue, is whether anti-corruption activism will be treated as a public service or a punishable offense. Until authorities provide clear legal justification for Ghadda’s arrest-and demonstrate a willingness to investigate corruption allegations impartially-calls for reform are likely to ring hollow.

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Source: Weekly Blitz :: Writings