The Government does not use forced exile as a means of punishment. The Constitution provides for an independent judiciary, and the Government respects this provision in practice. The judiciary is headed by a Supreme Court which supervises the work of the lower courts. There is a parallel military court system that operates under a military justice code. Two military justices sit on the Supreme Court but participate only in cases involving the military.
Military justice applies to civilians only during a state of war or insurrection.
Trial proceedings are usually based on written arguments to the judge, which are not routinely made public. Only the prosecutor and defense attorney have access to all documents that form part of the written record. Oral argument was introduced in 1990, but is only used at the option of individual judges. Most judges have chosen to retain the written method, which is a major factor in the slowness of the judicial process. There is no legal provision against self- incrimination, and judges may compel defendants to answer any questions they pose.