Mauritania doubles jail time for slavery
The parliament of Mauritania has adopted a new law as part of efforts to crack down on slavery, declaring it a "crime against humanity" and doubling prison terms for offenders.
Justice Minister Brahim Ould Daddah told local media that the maximum prison terms in the country had now been doubled to 20 years.
The law, which was passed late Wednesday, proclaims that "slavery constitutes a crime against humanity" and criminalized "10 other forms of slavery.”
The new law also criminalized forced marriage for women and handing widows over to other men without their consent.
The new law also provides for legal help for victims and for the confiscation of a convicted offender's assets to compensate victims.
It said "credible" anti-slavery non-governmental organizations (NGO) had the right to report cases and help victims.
Slavery was officially abolished in the West African country in 1981, and in the past eight years, those found guilty of involvement in the practice faced up to 10 years in prison.
Forced labor is a particularly sensitive issue in Mauritania, where anti-slavery charities are very active.
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