Former Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, in preventive detention for six months in a case of alleged corruption, was admitted Wednesday evening to the military hospital in Nouakchott for urgent treatment.
According to members of his family who visited him, the situation of the former Mauritanian president is worrying. His lawyers also visited him. They expected this hospitalization given the deterioration of the health situation of their client for several months. Master Taleb Khiyar, member of the collective for the defense of Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.
“ During six months, he explains, we have punctually in a stable, monitored and regular manner, asked the authorities concerned, in particular the judicial authorities, a right of visit to inquire about his situation because we knew that at one time or another, he would experience health problems for the following reasons. First, it is deprived of all access to the sun. We cannot imagine that someone could live six months in a small square without seeing the sun, and that he is not exposed to health risks. This is not possible from a scientific point of view. Finally, with all these deprivations, and under these conditions, it was to be expected that he would fall ill at one point or another. The authorities we asked to visit him never made any gesture towards him. We continue to ask for his imminent release or for them to find a way to evacuate him to a country where he can be treated since, really, his situation is quite serious and we fear that it will deteriorate. “
The former head of state was charged in March with corruption, money laundering, illicit enrichment, squandering of public property, granting undue advantages and obstructing the conduct of justice. Charges denied en bloc by the former president who led the country between 2008 and 2019.
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