The US Department of State unveiled its “country reports” for the year 2023 on Tuesday. The report on Mauritius, which spans 25 pages, identifies some major human rights issues.
It cites arbitrary arrests or detentions, significant gender-based violence, and politically motivated homicides.
The US Department of State highlights that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) requested the police on January 26, 2023, to reopen an investigation into the 2020 death of political activist Soopramanien Kistnen.
This, after receiving a judicial inquiry report that disputed the police’s claims that he had committed suicide. The investigation was not concluded by the end of the year, according to the document.
Regarding the rest of the human rights situation, the report states: “There were no reports indicating that the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings, including extrajudicial executions, during the year.”
Torture, inhumane treatment, and other abuses are also addressed in the report. It notes that allegations of police abuse have been made through traditional or social media.
Although no known cases were available for citation, some observers claimed that authorities were downplaying incidents of police abuse.
The report also mentions that opposition parties and the media expressed concerns that the government was not always investigating and punishing abusive officials, although some had been prosecuted.
Freedom of expression and the press are also discussed in the report. It mentions that Mauritian law prohibits comments made “with the intention of inciting hatred or contempt against any section of the public distinguished by race, caste, place of origin, political opinion, color, creed or sex.”
The law also criminalizes online posts that could cause “annoyance, humiliation, inconvenience, distress, or anxiety to any person.”
However, the report highlights that these laws are rarely enforced. It also points out that the arrest of Rama Valayden and the subsequent dropping of charges against him for comments made during a radio show are seen by some media as an attempt by authorities to limit political expression.
The US Department of State also notes that independent media outlets were able to operate freely and express a wide range of views. However, the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation is criticized for its pro-government bias and unfavorable coverage of opposition parties.
On the other hand, “the ruling party and government alleged anti-government bias in most independent media outlets.”
The government is criticized for its lack of interest in addressing gender-based harassment.
According to the report, “gender-based harassment continues to be widespread due to lax government enforcement and because survivors often do not believe that filing a complaint would resolve the issue.”
The US Department of State also points out that “although women have equal access to education, the private sector pays women less than men for substantially similar work.
Women hold few decision-making positions in the private sector, and there are even fewer women serving on boards of directors where about 6% of all members are women.”
Authorities are criticized for their lack of interest in the issue of gender-based harassment.
Right to strike. Another issue raised is the right to strike for workers. “The law establishes a mandatory, complex, and lengthy process to declare a legal strike.
This process requires that labor disputes be reported to the Commission for Conciliation and Mediation only after significant negotiations and when a deadlock is reached between the parties. If no agreement is reached, workers can call for a strike.
The law requires that workers in many sectors provide minimum service levels in the event of a strike, including in sectors that international standards do not classify as ‘essential services.’
The law prohibits strikes and other demonstrations during National Assembly sessions and does not allow unions to organize national strikes or strikes concerning general economic policy issues.”
It is also criticized that a worker’s participation is sufficient grounds for dismissal, but also that “the law prohibits anti-union discrimination, but it does not provide for the reinstatement of workers dismissed for union activities.”
Arbitrary arrests. The US Department of State notes that “a small number of individuals aligned with the political opposition have been arrested or charged with crimes that critics have deemed as targeting political opponents.
For example, on May 12, prominent lawyer Jayarama (Rama) Valayden was arrested and provisionally charged with ‘perverting the course of justice’ after alleging on a radio show that the government was politically prosecuting opposition supporters.”
The report highlights that on May 23, the charges were dropped at the request of the DPP, “who advised the police commissioner to refrain from ‘systematically’ laying provisional charges based on limited evidence and encouraged increased legal consultation between the DPP’s Office and police investigators.”
Corruption. It is noted that “there were isolated allegations of corruption by individual officials during the year.”
The US Department of State recalls the arrest of MSM Member of Parliament and ex-Parliamentary Private Secretary, Rajanah Dhaliah, and Rajesh Ramnarain from the Registrar of Associations Office, who were arrested on August 31 and May 10, respectively, in connection with bribery allegations concerning the granting of a permit.
Source: Defi Media
