Human rights in Mauritania

With a July 2012 estimated population of 3.4 million, Mauritania is a highly centralized Islamic republic with no legal provisions for freedom of religion.

LGBT rights of sexual orientation and gender identity

Under Shari'a, as applied in Mauritania, consensual same-sex sexual activity between men is punishable by death if witnessed by four individuals, and such activity between women is punishable by three months to two years in prison and a 5,000 to 60,000 ouguiya (US$17 to $207) fine. There were no criminal prosecutions during the year. There was no evidence of societal violence, societal discrimination, or systematic government discrimination based on sexual orientation. There were no organizations advocating for sexual orientation or gender-identity rights, but there were no legal impediments to the operation of such groups.