Mohamed Yahya Sidi Yahya, a suspect in the "foreign bloggers file," has confessed to investigators that he paid monthly salaries to three bloggers residing abroad. The bloggers, Sidi Mohamed Kamash, Al-Hafiz Loubed, and Dhiaa Al-Haq Abiye, were allegedly paid to remain silent about him and his relatives. Sidi Yahya also admitted to transferring multiple financial amounts to the bloggers, totaling over 4 million old Mauritanian ouguiyas.
According to Sidi Yahya's confession, he paid blogger Sidi Mohamed Kamash 300,000 old ouguiyas through a money changer in the United States named Yaqub Al-Mukhtar. He claimed that he made the payment after Kamash informed him that he had a new baby. Sidi Yahya also transferred 500,000 old ouguiyas to Kamash after he was attacked by Kamash due to his relationship with the SADAD application.
Sidi Yahya further revealed that he paid Kamash 500,000 old ouguiyas after he published a story about one of Sidi Yahya's relatives obtaining a gold mining license in the Kidi Magha state. He also helped Kamash with 500,000 old ouguiyas for his ex-wife's medical treatment and 250,000 old ouguiyas for building a house in the Ajoinke village in Tiris Zemmour.
Sidi Yahya stated that he agreed to pay monthly salaries to the three bloggers, which were deposited into their accounts for the months of July, August, and September 2026. He claimed that Kamash acted as an intermediary in the agreement with Loubed, where he agreed to pay Loubed a salary and delete a post he had published about one of Sidi Yahya's relatives.
Sidi Yahya also revealed that he reached an agreement with blogger Dhiaa Al-Haq Abiye for 300,000 old ouguiyas in exchange for his silence on the SADAD application. He claimed that the payment was made for the months of July, August, and September. Sidi Yahya emphasized that there were no contracts binding him to the bloggers and that he used his own money to make the payments.
The investigative team has placed Sidi Yahya under judicial supervision, along with eight other suspects. Seven suspects were remanded in custody, and arrest warrants were issued for seven others. Sidi Yahya expressed uncertainty about the legality of buying silence under Mauritanian law, stating that he was aware that he was purchasing his own safety.
The case highlights the complexities of freedom of speech and the rule of law in Mauritania. The investigation is ongoing, and further details are expected to emerge as the case unfolds.
Key points
- Sidi Yahya admitted to paying over 4 million old Mauritanian ouguiyas to three bloggers in exchange for their silence.
- The bloggers were paid monthly salaries for July, August, and September 2026.
- Sidi Yahya was placed under judicial supervision along with eight other suspects, while seven were remanded in custody.
