Former President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz has been held since Monday 17 August by the Directorate for the Fight against Economic Crimes and detained at the National Security Directorate. In a press release, the public prosecutor’s office clarified the reason for his summons and the context in which it took place, in response to his lawyers who denounced a sequestration and degrading treatment inflicted on their client.
The public prosecutor’s office says it wants to respond to those who want to “negatively influence the proceedings”. He ensures that the preliminary investigation is conducted in accordance with the laws in force. And that “the accused” has been informed of all his rights, including the right of his family to visit him.
Like all defendants, the former Mauritanian president also has the right to meet with his lawyers, says the prosecutor. Before adding: this does not necessarily mean that the lawyer participates in the investigative operations carried out by the judicial police officers.
A response that does not precisely satisfy his lawyers, who say they do not have the same interpretation of the law and who always complain about their client’s conditions of detention.
On the reason for the summons, which was not specified on Monday 17 August, the public prosecutor’s office confirms that it is indeed following the conclusions of the parliamentary inquiry into the years during which he was in power that the former president must be heard.
An investigation that uncovered several alleged cases of misappropriation of public property, the report of which was submitted to the courts on 5 August. For the time being, he has refused to answer all the questions put to him.