But Mr Abeid, who says that half of Mauritania's population are descendants of slaves (or are still slaves), insists that the law continues to be flouted.
As for Mr Abeid, he remains in custody in Mauritania, which seemingly prefers to crack down on anti-slavery activists, rather than slavery itself.
Sheikh Abeid Amani Karume, leader of the ASP, was installed as president of the People's Republic of Zanzibar and Pemba.
The Magpies have already signed French pair Yohan Cabaye and Sylvain Marveaux as well as Senegal international striker Demba Ba, while teenage midfielder Mehdi Abeid has also been recruited as one for the future.
Newcastle United: (4-2-2) Krul; Janmaat, Williamson, Coloccini, Haidara (Taylor, 61); Obertan (Gouffran, 78), Sissoko, Abeid, Ameobi; Cisse, Riviere (Perez, 73).
Transfers: In: Mehdi Abeid (Lens), Demba Ba (West Ham, free), Yohan Cabaye (Lille, £4.3m), Sylvain Marveaux (Rennes, free).
The energy of those two players, like that of Jack Colback and Mehdi Abeid, sat in stark contrast to that of Mario Balotteli.
"Whenever a slave breaks free and IRA is not aware and not present, police officers and judges help Arab-Berbers to intimidate the slave until he returns in submission," Abeid said.
His mother's first two sons were blind, and she prayed for another son until, nine children later, she had Abeid; he was the twelfth of thirteen.
While Abeid was in prison, the police told him that his greatest offense was promoting a union between Haratin and Afro-Mauritanians.
Abeid, for his part, saw the election as a forum to discuss slavery and racism.
