CONFIDENTIAL
A CARAGUA
Report by Latin American Department
Right No.
Rating suggested by Department
7
(i) Under the system of Martial Law which
has been in force since December 1974, and under which habeas corpus has been suspended, arbitrary action by the authorities has increased. There are no accurate figures of prisoners detained without trial, but they may number about 500 in addition to unspecified numbers of people who have "disappeared".
(ii) Torture of prisoners is widespread.
(iii) Slavery does not exist.
(iv) Under Martial Law, strict censorship of the media is imposed. Freedom of personal expression is severely limited.
(v) With normal legal processes in suspense, the
position of the judiciary is obscure. However, after four decades of arbitrary dictatorship, their independence must be greatly circumscribed.
(vi) Trades unions are permitted, but their
activities are circumscribed.
(vii) Passports or other travel documents are not
required for travel to other Central American states and there is technical freedom of emigration.
CONFIDENTIAL
8
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8
8
5
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