Mauritanian authorities have revoked the license of the independent news website Anbaa Info and ordered its closure, including its social media pages, in a move that has stirred debate over press freedom in the country.
According to site director Cheikh Ahmed Ould Amin, the Cybercrime Unit of the national gendarmerie informed him of the decision, which was issued by the Ministry of Communication based on a recommendation from the High Authority for Press and Audiovisual Media (HAPA). The measure, he said, amounts to a complete ban on the outlet’s operations within Mauritania.
The action follows a series of regulatory steps dating back to March 2024, when HAPA issued a formal warning, ordered the deletion of certain articles deemed “offensive” and imposed a 60-day publishing suspension.
At the time, authorities cited an article about a February traffic accident involving President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani’s convoy in Algeria, which regulators described as professionally flawed and inciting hostility toward Algeria.
Anbaa Info rejected the accusations, defending the article as political analysis expressed through rhetorical questioning and exclamation, and arguing that it fell within the bounds of free expression.
In comments to Hespress AR, Amin said the decision was dated July 30 but was only communicated to the outlet last week. He added that the site has been inaccessible to readers inside Mauritania since that date, though it remains available abroad.
The site’s management said it sought clarification from the Ministry of Communication, which initially denied involvement and suggested a technical error or cyberattack. However, the hosting provider OVH refuted that explanation, confirming that its servers had not been compromised and that the block was limited to Mauritanian networks.
Amin further stressed that Anbaa Info has never targeted Algeria or any other country, noting that the editorial line is independent and rooted in the principle that “news is sacred and opinion is free.” He also recalled past criticism from Algeria’s former ambassador to Nouakchott, who accused parts of the Mauritanian press of corruption and called for the site’s closure, comments he described as the real insult.
“This decision is unprecedented in Mauritania,” Amin said. “Never before has a licensed media outlet been shut down completely and permanently. It raises serious concerns for independent journalism and press freedom in the country.”
Founded in 2007, Anbaa Info says it will continue to defend its editorial independence while maintaining professionalism and objectivity in its reporting.
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