Human rights organisations are calling on the international community to exert pressure on the government of Mauritania following a shocking escalation of violence and religious persecution targeting Christians in the country.
The latest incident in Sélibaby on 7th April 2025 has underscored a deeply rooted and state-enabled pattern of abuse that demands global response.
During a government-approved demonstration inciting hatred against Christians, an angry mob desecrated the grave of a recently deceased Christian, exhumed the body, and paraded it through the streets. The body was later reburied in a village 20 km outside of Sélibaby. Social media campaigns following the incident called for the complete ostracism of Christians, labeling them infidels and apostates, and incited further violence.
The events in Sélibaby are not isolated. This incident follows a pattern of systemic harassment, arrests, and public incitement. In late 2023, numerous church leaders and their families were arrested in a nationally publicized crackdown. Though released in early 2024, many continue to face severe social exclusion, physical attacks, and threats—forcing them into displacement.
Joseph Janssen, Minority Rights Advocate with Jubilee Campaign Netherlands, condemned the events in Sélibaby, stating “What took place on 7th April is not only a tragedy—it is a disgrace and a moral outrage. The desecration of a grave and the incitement of hate with government approval are blatant violations of human dignity.
“Mauritania’s apostasy law is a state-sanctioned death threat against every convert to Christianity. How can a nation be taken seriously on the global stage when its citizens must bury their dead in fear and hide their faith to survive?”
Systemic Persecution Under Apostasy & Blasphemy Laws
Mauritania’s Penal Code enforces one of the harshest apostasy laws in the world, prescribing death for anyone who leaves Islam. Though rarely carried out, the law itself emboldens extremists, silences victims, and fosters an atmosphere of terror. According to Open Doors’ World Watch List 2025, Mauritania ranks 23rd among the most dangerous countries for Christians.
Middle East Concern added: “Christian converts face unimaginable pressure. They risk losing their homes, their families, their livelihoods. Baptisms are performed in secret, and the fear of discovery is constant.”
Children from Christian families have reported violent abuse in schools. Christian leaders are systematically excluded from local NGOs and development efforts. Community leaders and clan members have disowned those sympathetic to Christians, further isolating believers.
Call to Action
Human rights organisations are demanding urgent international diplomatic and economic pressure on the Mauritanian government to:
- Repeal apostasy and blasphemy laws;
- Prosecute perpetrators of religious hate crimes;
- Restore full rights and protections to religious minorities;
- Guarantee freedom of religion in accordance with international law.Until these conditions are met, targeted sanctions and accountability measures must be enacted to signal that such violations will not be tolerated.
Source: Middle East Concern – Mauritania: Christians Still Concerned for Their Safety (9 April 2025)
Main Image: By Ji-Elle – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9447532
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