Mauritania

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CountryMauritania
Ministry responsible
Ministry of Justice
Prison administration
Direction des affaires pénales et de l’administration pénitentiaire (DAPAP)
Contact address
B.P. 350, Nouakchott, Mauritania
Telephone
+222 633 3018 or 525 1263
Fax
+222 525 7095 or 525 7002
Website
Head of prison administration (and title)
Moulaye Abdallah
Directeur de l'administration pénitentiaire
Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners)
2 826
at 16.8.2022 (via U.S. State Department human rights report)
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population)
57
based on an estimated national population of 4.92 million at August 2022 (from United Nations figures)
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population)
Circa
50.0%
(16.8.2022)
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population)
2.0%
(16.8.2022)
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population)
3.1%
(February 2021 - minors)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population)
13.4%
(16.8.2022)
Number of establishments / institutions
23
(2021)
Official capacity of prison system
2 280
(25.4.2018)
Occupancy level (based on official capacity)
101.8%
(25.4.2018)
Prison population trend
(year, prison population total, prison population rate)
2001 1,413 50
2003 1,185 40
2005 c 815 c 26
2010 1,700 47
2012 1,602 42
2014 1,768 44
2016 1,920 46
2018 2,321 53
2020 2,175 47
2001 1,413 50
2003 1,185 40
2005 c 815 c 26
2010 1,700 47
2012 1,602 42
2014 1,768 44
2016 1,920 46
2018 2,321 53
2020 2,175 47

Pre-trial/remand prison population: trend

The table below gives an indication of the recent trend in the pre-trial/remand prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.

It consists of the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that pre-trial/remand prisoners constituted on that day.

The final column shows the pre-trial/remand population rate per 100,000 of the national population. 

                                             MAURITANIA

Year

Number in
pre-trial/remand
imprisonment

Percentage
of total
prison population

Pre-trial/remand
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

2010
2015

700
794

41.2%
42.4%

19
19

2022

c. 1,413

c. 50.0%

c. 29

It should be noted that the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners fluctuates from day to day, month to month and year to year. Consequently the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.

The pre-trial/remand population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.

Female prison population: trend

The table below gives an indication of the trend in the female prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.

It consists of the number of female prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that female prisoners constituted on that day.  

The final column shows the female prison population rate per 100,000 of the national population. 

                                             MAURITANIA

Year

Number of
female
prisoners

Percentage
of total
prison population

Female prison
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

2010
2015

62
35

3.6%
1.9%

1.7
0.9

2022

57

2.0%

1.2

The number of female prisoners fluctuates and so the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.

The female prison population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.

(If the rate were calculated on the basis of the number of females in the national population it would of course be approximately double the figure in the final column.)

Prison population total
Prison population rate