The central prison in Port Vila is dilapidated and not reliably secured. There are approximately 40 prisoners, all men. Inmates are treated humanely, to the extent allowed by the meager resources of the prison service. The Government permits prison visits by human rights monitors. The Constitution prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention, and there were no reports of such arrests.
Arrest is by warrant.
The constitutional provision that suspects must be informed of the charges against them and given a speedy hearing before a judge is observed in practice. The Government does not use forced exile. The Constitution provides for an independent judiciary, and the courts are normally free of military or executive interference. However, in 1996 the Government dismissed the foreign Chief Justice prior to the end of his appointment. There were no reports of interference with the judiciary by the present Government.