Societal discrimination and violence against women also continued to be problems. There were no reports of political or other extrajudicial killings. There were no reports of politically motivated disappearances. The Constitution prohibits such practices, and the authorities generally respected these prohibitions. The Constitution prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention, and the Government respects these provisions in practice.
Criminal defendants have the right to a judicial determination of the legality of their detention.
The police must bring detainees before a court within 48 hours of arrest or detention. Opposition leaders claim the Government has developed a pattern of arresting suspects on Fridays and holding them until Tuesdays in order to prolong the incarceration. Most of these cases involve youths suspected of narcotics violations. There were no reports of involuntary exile. The judicial system is part of the Eastern Caribbean legal system and reflects historical ties to the United Kingdom.