Mauritanian students threaten to escalate protests

Institute detainees' in Mauritania health drops The students of the Higher Institute, arrested last week, are suffering deteriorated health status, due to poor conditions inside the police station of Tevragh zeina, in Nouakchott , union sources told Arabs Today. Two of the detainees, namely Abdallahi Ould Mohamed, the head of the National Student Union department of the Institute; and Khalifa Ould faly, a Union member, were taken to the hospital. Both refused to take medication at the police station.
Union members confirmed that the police still refuse to allow visits by some jurists and advocates who seek to support detainees.
A number of student unions demanded immediate release of the detained students, pointing out that their detention, "reflects a negative step intended by the authorities", which will deepen the crisis of the Institute.
The National Union of Mauritanian Students has vowed to "struggle against shutting down the Higher Institute of Islamic Studies and Research."
The union held a day of anger that took place in many institutes and in all union branches demanding to protect the institute.