Legal organization talks about a Mauritania Abu Ghreib; investigation with opposition leaders on the coupes

The authorities in Mauritania launched an investigation with several opposition leaders over the failed coupe attempt that took place in the country in September.

The investigation judge summoned several leaders of Mauritanian opposition to reconsider their likely links with the "Knights of change" armed organization, which is accused of leading the said coupe attempt and earlier attempts the last of which was in June 2003.

News reports in Nouakchott said that the persons wanted for investigation are the leader of the opposition forces bloc leader Ahmad Weld Dada, former President of Mauritania Muhammad Khouna Weld Hedalaha as well as main opposition leaders in the country Sheikh Weld Herma.

Weld Herma denied having any links to the "Kinghts of change " which was led by Lt. Saleh Weld Hanana who was arrested several weeks ago near the border with Senegal.

Weld Herma said that political dialogue and national reconciliation are the best means to get the country out of the political bottleneck it has been witnessing. He criticized the security vision adopted by the authorities in Mauritania in dealing with the political crisis in the country, erupted following coupe attempts.

On the other hand, the Mauritania monitor for human rights talked about torture practiced by the authorities in Mauritania against civilian and military detainees in Wad al-Naqa prison ( 50 Km to the east of Nouakchott ).

In a statement under the title "Mauritania's Abu Ghreib prison", the Monitor talked about pictures of torture cases depicted in secret for detainees while they are tortured in Mauritania's jails. The monitor said that the detainees whose photos were taken were arrested under collaboration with Weld Hanana.

The monitor ( al-Marsad) also indicated that all testimonies by lawyers who visited the detainees say that traces of " torture " are seen on them.