Freedom of Religion/History/Country sources/Mauritania
What is the oldest written source in this country that mentions this right?
Mauritania
Since its independence in 1960, Mauritania has operated under various constitutions. Its first constitution was written in 1961 in the nation's then official language: French(Mauritanie, Constitution de 1961, 2024). The Islamic Republic of Mauritania Constitution does not explicitly and directly guarantee the right to freedom of expression. However, in the preamble the country proclaims itself to follow the principles of democracy and the rights outlined in the 1789 Declaration of Human Rights, otherwise known as The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. The French National Assembly asserts that “The unrestrained communication of thoughts and opinions being one of the most precious rights of man, every citizen may speak, write, and publish freely, provided he is responsible for the abuse of this liberty, in cases determined by law.” The previous section also addresses relative aspects of the freedom of expression by providing that “No man ought to be molested on account of his opinions, not even on account of his religious opinions, provided his avowal of them does not disturb the public order established by law.”
Sources:
https://constitutionnet.org/sites/default/files/declaration_of_the_rights_of_man_1789.pdf
“Mauritanie, Constitution de 1961, Digithèque MJP.” 2024. Univ-Perp.fr. 2024. https://mjp.univ-perp.fr/constit/mr1961.htm. Robert Earl Handloff. 1990. Mauritania. U.S. Government Printing Office.