In Mauritania, former President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz has been sentenced to 15 years in prison following an appeal trial that concluded on Wednesday.

The former leader, who served from 2008 to 2019, was convicted of illicit enrichment and money laundering. He had previously received a five-year sentence in an earlier ruling.

The appellate court in Nouakchott delivered the harsher verdict after months of legal proceedings that began in November 2024.

Reacting to the decision, his legal team, led by Me Taleb Khayyar, expressed strong opposition and vowed to explore all available legal remedies.