The President has the authority to grant pardons and reduce sentences. Despite its problems, the judicial system is sometimes capable of providing a fair trial, even in controversial cases. Several policemen were convicted of being accomplices to armed robbery in September and were awaiting sentencing at year's end. Citizens who cannot afford an attorney have the right to a court- appointed lawyer. Traditional law still prevails in most rural areas, and urban dwellers often bring judicial disputes to traditional counselors to avoid the costs and bureaucratic impediments of the official system.
Police often resolve disputes.
There were no reports of political prisoners. The Constitution provides for the inviolability of domicile, person, and correspondence, but the Government does not always respect these rights. The authorities examine international and domestic mail, the security forces seldom use judicial warrants, and the police sometime force entry into private homes. The Constitution provides for freedom of speech and press, but journalists continue to practice self-censorship. One independent newspaper suspended publication for economic reasons, leaving only one regularly published independent newspaper, which nevertheless expressed strong criticism of the Government.