Prostitution Prostitution laws in Mauritaniaموريتانيا
Mauritania's Penal Code (Ordinance No. 83-162 of 9 July 1983) applies Islamic criminal law to sexual conduct. Article 307 punishes zina committed by any adult Muslim and proven by four witnesses, by confession or, for a woman, by pregnancy: unmarried offenders face 100 lashes and one year in prison, married or divorced offenders death by stoning. Procuring carries six months to three years and a fine (Article 311), aggravated forms two to five years (Article 312), and running or financing a prostitution establishment or tolerating prostitution in a hotel or bar the same (Article 313). Making private premises available to sex workers carries six months to two years (Article 318). Publicly drawing attention to an opportunity for debauchery, or publishing an advertisement of that kind, is an offence (Article 264). Zina charges have reportedly been used against sex workers.
Legal model
Selling and buying prohibited. Selling sex is an offence (criminal or administrative), whether or not buying is.
There is no offence specific to selling sex, but Article 307 of the 1983 Penal Code punishes zina (sexual relations outside marriage) committed by any adult Muslim, so selling and buying sex are offences under that general provision. Procuring, brothel-keeping and making premises available to sex workers are separately criminalised (Articles 311 to 318).[1][2]
At a glance
| Question | Status | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Selling sexual services | Illegal Criminal offence | No offence names selling sex, but any adult Muslim who voluntarily commits zina, established by four witnesses, a confession or, for a woman, pregnancy, is punished publicly with 100 lashes and one year in prison if unmarried, and with death by stoning if married or divorced (Article 307). Commentators report that zina charges have been used to persecute sex workers.[1][2] |
| Buying sexual services | Illegal Criminal offence | A client who is an adult Muslim commits zina under the same Article 307 as the person selling sex, with the same penalties: 100 lashes and one year in prison if unmarried, death by stoning if married or divorced.[1] |
| Brothels and managed venues | Illegal Criminal offence | Holding, managing, running or financing a prostitution establishment, or habitually tolerating prostitution in a hotel, furnished house, bar, club or other place open to the public, carries two to five years and a fine (Article 313), doubled for a repeat within ten years, with permanent closure and withdrawal of the licence (Article 314). Knowingly making private premises available to sex workers for habitual debauchery carries six months to two years (Article 318).[1] |
| Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping) | Illegal Criminal offence | A procurer is anyone who aids, assists or protects another's prostitution or soliciting, shares its proceeds or receives support from a person habitually engaged in it, knowingly lives with such a person, cannot justify their lifestyle while in habitual contact with sex workers, recruits or keeps even a consenting adult for prostitution, or acts as an intermediary: six months to three years and a fine (Article 311); two to five years if aggravated (Article 312).[1] |
| Advertising sexual services | Illegal Criminal offence | Publicly drawing attention to an opportunity for debauchery, or publishing an advertisement or correspondence of that kind whatever its terms, carries the penalties of Article 263: one month to two years and a fine (Article 264). Where the offence is committed through the press, publication directors or publishers are liable as principal offenders for the mere fact of publication (Article 265).[1] |
The law in detail
Selling sexual services
No offence names selling sex, but any adult Muslim who voluntarily commits zina, established by four witnesses, a confession or, for a woman, pregnancy, is punished publicly with 100 lashes and one year in prison if unmarried, and with death by stoning if married or divorced (Article 307). Commentators report that zina charges have been used to persecute sex workers.[1][2]
Confidence: medium. Article 307 applies to Muslims only; no provision covering non-Muslims who sell sex was found. Read in a copy of the 1983 Journal officiel text; later amendments were not checked for this article. No figures on prosecutions of sex workers were found.
Checked 30 October 2026
Buying sexual services
A client who is an adult Muslim commits zina under the same Article 307 as the person selling sex, with the same penalties: 100 lashes and one year in prison if unmarried, death by stoning if married or divorced.[1]
Confidence: medium. This applies the general zina offence; no case concerning a client was found.
Checked 30 October 2026
Brothels and managed venues
Holding, managing, running or financing a prostitution establishment, or habitually tolerating prostitution in a hotel, furnished house, bar, club or other place open to the public, carries two to five years and a fine (Article 313), doubled for a repeat within ten years, with permanent closure and withdrawal of the licence (Article 314). Knowingly making private premises available to sex workers for habitual debauchery carries six months to two years (Article 318).[1]
Note. Fines in the 1983 text are expressed in ouguiyas before the 2018 redenomination.
Checked 30 October 2026
Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping)
A procurer is anyone who aids, assists or protects another's prostitution or soliciting, shares its proceeds or receives support from a person habitually engaged in it, knowingly lives with such a person, cannot justify their lifestyle while in habitual contact with sex workers, recruits or keeps even a consenting adult for prostitution, or acts as an intermediary: six months to three years and a fine (Article 311); two to five years if aggravated (Article 312).[1]
Checked 30 October 2026
Advertising sexual services
Publicly drawing attention to an opportunity for debauchery, or publishing an advertisement or correspondence of that kind whatever its terms, carries the penalties of Article 263: one month to two years and a fine (Article 264). Where the offence is committed through the press, publication directors or publishers are liable as principal offenders for the mere fact of publication (Article 265).[1]
Note. No case applying these articles to websites or online platforms was found.
Checked 30 October 2026
Key legislation
| Law | What it does here | In force |
|---|---|---|
| Ordonnance n° 83-162 du 9 juillet 1983 portant institution d'un Code pénal (Journal officiel n° 608-609) Penal Code (Ordinance No. 83-162 of 9 July 1983) art. 264–265 · art. 307 · art. 311–318 | Article 307 punishes zina; Articles 311 to 318 cover procuring, prostitution establishments and premises; Article 264 covers advertising an opportunity for debauchery.[1] | 1984 |
Timeline
Sources
- Ordonnance n° 83-162 du 9 juillet 1983 portant institution d'un Code pénal (Journal officiel n° 608-609) (Ordinance No. 83-162 of 9 July 1983 instituting a Penal Code). Journal officiel de la République islamique de Mauritanie (copy hosted by the BWC Implementation Support Unit), 29 February 1984. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- Mauritania's Failure to Adapt Gender-Based Violence Laws. Jadaliyya. news · accessed 30 October 2026