CONFIDENTIAL
BRUNEI
Report by British High Commission, Bandar Seri Begawan
Right No.
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Imprisonment without trial relates in Brunei solely to persons detained for internal security reasons. Of the 34 such persons now in custody, 22 are long-term detainees; the remainder were detained during the last two years. The systematic release of the long-term detainees from the original total of over 2,000 in 1962/63 proceeds according to a planned, albeit slow, programme.
There is no evidence whatsoever of the use of torture and no rumours of its use.
Slavery does not exist.
Radio and television are Government controlled and criticism of the Government is discouraged. Apart from a Government newspaper, the press consists of a weekly Borneo newspaper and the Singapore edition of the Straits Times. Persistent and destructive criticism of the Government in the first of these would soon lead to cancellation of its licence, and it is wary about the material it publishes. Editions of the Straits Times are banned on the rare occasions when they contain material supporting the proscribed PRB political party. There is no
formal restriction on freedom of speech but people are aware that the authorities take notice of the expression of views which could be construed as supporting the PRB or showing disaffection towards the regime.
CONFIDENTIAL
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