Human rights in São Tomé and Príncipe
Encyclopedia
The U.S. Department of State's
Country Report on Human Rights Practices
for São Tomé and Príncipe
states that the government generally respected the human rights of its citizens, despite problems in a few areas.
São Tomé and Príncipe was one of 11 sub-Saharan Africa
n countries rated "free" in the 2006 Freedom in the World
survey published annually by Freedom House
, a pro-democracy organization that monitors political rights, civil liberties, and press freedom around the world. On a scale from 1 (most free) to 7 (least free), São Tomé received a 2 for both political rights and civil liberties.
with restricted political rights. In 1990, citizens approved a constitution that established a multiparty democracy
.
Since then, nine national elections in São Tomé and Príncipe
have taken place: four elections for president (in 1991
, 1996
, 2001
, and 2006
) and five for the National Assembly
(1991
, 1994
, 1998
, 2002
, and 2006
). All of these elections were conducted to be generally free, fair, and transparent
by domestic and international monitors
.
Elections at the local level were conducted for the first time in 1992. Príncipe was granted autonomy in 1994 and elected a regional assembly and government in 1995.
, association
, movement
, and religion
are constitutionally guaranteed and generally respected by the government. Academic freedom
is respected.
and of the press
, and the government generally respected these rights. It also notes that some journalists practice self-censorship
."
Television and radio are state operated and there are no independent stations, due to economic and market constraints. There is no law prohibiting the establishment of such stations and all opposition parties have access to the state-run media, including a minimum of three minutes per month on television. Opposition newsletters and pamphlets criticizing the government circulate freely.
São Tomé's press is rated as 'free' by the Freedom House
organization. In its 2006 Press Freedom Survey, São Tomé ranked 5th out of Sub-Saharan Africa's 48 countries in terms of press freedom - trailing only Mali
, Mauritius
, Ghana
, and South Africa
.http://www.freedomhouse.org/uploads/PFS/PFSRegionalTables2006.pdf
Freedom House describes the country's press freedom situation as follows: "The Constitution of São Tomé guarantees freedom of the press and the government has an exemplary history of respecting these rights in practice. Publications that criticize official policies circulate freely without journalists being arrested, jailed, tortured or harassed. However, journalists do practice a good degree of self-censorship, and often depend on official news releases for their reports which inhibits the growth of investigative journalism. Lack of advertising revenue, technology, media training and poor salaries also constitute major handicaps for journalists."
Other prominent press freedom organizations such as Reporters Without Borders
(RSF), International Press Institute
(IPI), and the Committee to Protect Journalists
(CPJ) don't include São Tomé in their annual reports.
The law provides for the right to a fair public trial, the right of appeal, the right to legal representation, and, if indigent, the right to an attorney appointed by the state. Defendants are presumed innocent, have the right to confront witnesses, and to present evidence on their own behalf. However, inadequate resources resulted in lengthy pretrial detentions and greatly hindered investigations in criminal cases.
The government permits human rights monitors to visit prisons.
's 2005 Corruption Perceptions Index.
-–including against spouses–-many were reluctant to bring legal action or were ignorant of their rights under the law. Tradition inhibited women from taking domestic disputes outside the family.
The law stipulates that women and men have equal political, economic, and social rights. While many women have access to opportunities in education, business, and government, in practice women still encountered significant societal discrimination.
Mistreatment of children was not widespread; however, there were few protections for orphans and abandoned children. Child labor was a problem.
There were no reports that persons were trafficked
to, from, or within the country.
are guaranteed and respected. Few unions exist, but independent cooperatives have taken advantage of the government land-distribution program to attract workers. Because of its role as the main employer in the wage sector, the government remains the key interlocutor for labor on all matters, including wages. Working conditions on many of the state-owned cocoa plantations are harsh.
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
Country Report on Human Rights Practices
United States' Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices are publications on the annual human right conditions in countries and regions outside the United States, submitted annually by the United States Department of State to the United States Congress. The reports cover internationally recognized individual,...
for São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé and Príncipe, officially the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, is a Portuguese-speaking island nation in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Central Africa. It consists of two islands: São Tomé and Príncipe, located about apart and about , respectively, off...
states that the government generally respected the human rights of its citizens, despite problems in a few areas.
São Tomé and Príncipe was one of 11 sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa as a geographical term refers to the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara. A political definition of Sub-Saharan Africa, instead, covers all African countries which are fully or partially located south of the Sahara...
n countries rated "free" in the 2006 Freedom in the World
Freedom in the World 2006
Freedom in the World is a yearly survey and report by U.S.-based Freedom House that attempts to measure the degree of democracy and political freedom in every nation and significant disputed territories around the world.-Origin and use:...
survey published annually by Freedom House
Freedom House
Freedom House is an international non-governmental organization based in Washington, D.C. that conducts research and advocacy on democracy, political freedom and human rights...
, a pro-democracy organization that monitors political rights, civil liberties, and press freedom around the world. On a scale from 1 (most free) to 7 (least free), São Tomé received a 2 for both political rights and civil liberties.
Political rights
From independence in 1975 until 1990, the country was a single-party stateSingle-party state
A single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of party system government in which a single political party forms the government and no other parties are permitted to run candidates for election...
with restricted political rights. In 1990, citizens approved a constitution that established a multiparty democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
.
Since then, nine national elections in São Tomé and Príncipe
Elections in São Tomé and Príncipe
Elections in São Tomé and Príncipe gives information on election and election results in São Tomé and Príncipe.São Tomé and Príncipe elects on national level a head of state - the president - and a legislature. The president is elected for a five year term by the people...
have taken place: four elections for president (in 1991
São Tomé and Príncipe presidential election, 1991
Presidential elections were held for the first time in São Tomé and Príncipe on 3 March 1991, as previously the President had been elected by the National Assembly. Ultimately only one candidate, Miguel Trovoada, ran for office, and was elected unopposed...
, 1996
São Tomé and Príncipe presidential election, 1996
Presidential elections were held in São Tomé and Príncipe on 30 June 1996. The election was contested by four candidates; incumbent President Miguel Trovoada, former President Manuel Pinto da Costa, Alda Bandeira, a former Foreign Minister, and former Prime Minister Carlos da Graça...
, 2001
São Tomé and Príncipe presidential election, 2001
The island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe held presidential elections on 29 July 2001. It was the nation's third presidential election since the introduction of multi-party politics in 1990...
, and 2006
São Tomé and Príncipe presidential election, 2006
São Tomé and Príncipe held its fourth presidential election since the introduction of multi-party politics in 1990 on 30 July 2006. Incumbent Fradique de Menezes, first elected in 2001, won more than 60 per cent of the votes, while his main challenger, Patrice Trovoada got just over 38 per cent of...
) and five for the National Assembly
National Assembly of São Tomé and Príncipe
The unicameral National Assembly of São Tomé and Príncipe is the country's legislative body.The current National Assembly, formed following elections held on 26 March 2006, has a total of 55 members elected in 7 multi-member constituencies using the party-list proportional representation system...
(1991
São Tomé and Príncipe legislative election, 1991
Parliamentary elections were held in São Tomé and Príncipe on 20 January 1991. They were the first multi-party elections for the National Assembly, following a referendum the previous year...
, 1994
São Tomé and Príncipe legislative election, 1994
Parliamentary elections were held in São Tomé and Príncipe on 2 October 1994. The result was a victory for the opposition Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe - Social Democratic Party, which won 27 of the 55 seats in the National Assembly...
, 1998
São Tomé and Príncipe legislative election, 1998
Parliamentary elections were held in São Tomé and Príncipe on 8 November 1998. The result was a victory for the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe-Social Democratic Party, which won 31 of the 55 seats in the National Assembly...
, 2002
São Tomé and Príncipe legislative election, 2002
On 3 March 2002, São Tomé and Príncipe held its fourth National Assembly election since the introduction of multi-party politics in 1990. Voter turnout was 66.3 percent.-Background and outcome of elections:...
, and 2006
São Tomé and Príncipe legislative election, 2006
São Tomé and Príncipe held its fifth National Assembly election since the introduction of multi-party politics in 1990 on 26 March 2006.-Parties and Coalitions:Eight political parties and two coalitions contested the election....
). All of these elections were conducted to be generally free, fair, and transparent
Transparency (humanities)
Transparency, as used in science, engineering, business, the humanities and in a social context more generally, implies openness, communication, and accountability. Transparency is operating in such a way that it is easy for others to see what actions are performed...
by domestic and international monitors
Election monitoring
Election monitoring is the observation of an election by one or more independent parties, typically from another country or a non-governmental organization , primarily to assess the conduct of an election process on the basis of national legislation and international standards. There are national...
.
Elections at the local level were conducted for the first time in 1992. Príncipe was granted autonomy in 1994 and elected a regional assembly and government in 1995.
Civil liberties
Freedoms of assemblyFreedom of assembly
Freedom of assembly, sometimes used interchangeably with the freedom of association, is the individual right to come together and collectively express, promote, pursue and defend common interests...
, association
Freedom of association
Freedom of association is the individual right to come together with other individuals and collectively express, promote, pursue and defend common interests....
, movement
Freedom of movement
Freedom of movement, mobility rights or the right to travel is a human right concept that the constitutions of numerous states respect...
, and religion
Freedom of religion
Freedom of religion is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance; the concept is generally recognized also to include the freedom to change religion or not to follow any...
are constitutionally guaranteed and generally respected by the government. Academic freedom
Academic freedom
Academic freedom is the belief that the freedom of inquiry by students and faculty members is essential to the mission of the academy, and that scholars should have freedom to teach or communicate ideas or facts without being targeted for repression, job loss, or imprisonment.Academic freedom is a...
is respected.
Press freedom
According to the U.S. State Department, "The law provides for freedom of speechFreedom of speech
Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used...
and of the press
Freedom of the press
Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the freedom of communication and expression through vehicles including various electronic media and published materials...
, and the government generally respected these rights. It also notes that some journalists practice self-censorship
Self-censorship
Self-censorship is the act of censoring or classifying one's own work , out of fear of, or deference to, the sensibilities of others, without overt pressure from any specific party or institution of authority...
."
Television and radio are state operated and there are no independent stations, due to economic and market constraints. There is no law prohibiting the establishment of such stations and all opposition parties have access to the state-run media, including a minimum of three minutes per month on television. Opposition newsletters and pamphlets criticizing the government circulate freely.
São Tomé's press is rated as 'free' by the Freedom House
Freedom House
Freedom House is an international non-governmental organization based in Washington, D.C. that conducts research and advocacy on democracy, political freedom and human rights...
organization. In its 2006 Press Freedom Survey, São Tomé ranked 5th out of Sub-Saharan Africa's 48 countries in terms of press freedom - trailing only Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
, Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
, Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.http://www.freedomhouse.org/uploads/PFS/PFSRegionalTables2006.pdf
Freedom House describes the country's press freedom situation as follows: "The Constitution of São Tomé guarantees freedom of the press and the government has an exemplary history of respecting these rights in practice. Publications that criticize official policies circulate freely without journalists being arrested, jailed, tortured or harassed. However, journalists do practice a good degree of self-censorship, and often depend on official news releases for their reports which inhibits the growth of investigative journalism. Lack of advertising revenue, technology, media training and poor salaries also constitute major handicaps for journalists."
Other prominent press freedom organizations such as Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders is a France-based international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press. It was founded in 1985, by Robert Ménard, Rony Brauman and the journalist Jean-Claude Guillebaud. Jean-François Julliard has served as Secretary General since 2008...
(RSF), International Press Institute
International Press Institute
International Press Institute is a global organisation dedicated to the promotion and protection of press freedom and the improvement of journalism practices. Founded in October 1950, the IPI has members in over 120 countries....
(IPI), and the Committee to Protect Journalists
Committee to Protect Journalists
The Committee to Protect Journalists is an independent nonprofit organisation based in New York City that promotes press freedom and defends the rights of journalists.-History:A group of U.S...
(CPJ) don't include São Tomé in their annual reports.
Judiciary and judicial process
An independent judiciary, including a Supreme Court with members designated by, and responsible to, the National Assembly, was established by the 1990 referendum on multiparty rule. The Supreme Court has ruled against both the government and the president, but is occasionally subject to manipulation. The court system is overburdened, understaffed, inadequately funded, and plagued by long delays in hearing cases.The law provides for the right to a fair public trial, the right of appeal, the right to legal representation, and, if indigent, the right to an attorney appointed by the state. Defendants are presumed innocent, have the right to confront witnesses, and to present evidence on their own behalf. However, inadequate resources resulted in lengthy pretrial detentions and greatly hindered investigations in criminal cases.
Conduct of security forces
There were no reports that the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings, torture, or politically motivated disappearances.Prison conditions
Prison conditions in the country are described as "harsh, but not life threatening" in the state department's report. Facilities are reportedly overcrowded, and food was inadequate. Some pretrial prisoners were held with convicted prisoners.The government permits human rights monitors to visit prisons.
Corruption
Official corruption is a serious problem. São Tomé and Príncipe was not surveyed in Transparency InternationalTransparency International
Transparency International is a non-governmental organization that monitors and publicizes corporate and political corruption in international development. It publishes an annual Corruption Perceptions Index, a comparative listing of corruption worldwide...
's 2005 Corruption Perceptions Index.
Societal Discrimination
The law provides for the equality of all citizens regardless of sex, race, racial origin, political tendency, creed, or philosophic conviction, and while the government actively enforced these provisions, women faced discrimination. Domestic violence against women occurred, including rape, but the extent of the problem was unknown. Although women have the right to legal recourseLegal recourse
A legal recourse is an action that can be taken by an individual or a corporation to attempt to remedy a legal difficulty.* A lawsuit if the issue is a matter of civil law* Many contracts require mediation or arbitration before a dispute can go to court...
-–including against spouses–-many were reluctant to bring legal action or were ignorant of their rights under the law. Tradition inhibited women from taking domestic disputes outside the family.
The law stipulates that women and men have equal political, economic, and social rights. While many women have access to opportunities in education, business, and government, in practice women still encountered significant societal discrimination.
Mistreatment of children was not widespread; however, there were few protections for orphans and abandoned children. Child labor was a problem.
There were no reports that persons were trafficked
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
to, from, or within the country.
Worker Rights
The rights to organize, strike, and bargain collectivelyCollective bargaining
Collective bargaining is a process of negotiations between employers and the representatives of a unit of employees aimed at reaching agreements that regulate working conditions...
are guaranteed and respected. Few unions exist, but independent cooperatives have taken advantage of the government land-distribution program to attract workers. Because of its role as the main employer in the wage sector, the government remains the key interlocutor for labor on all matters, including wages. Working conditions on many of the state-owned cocoa plantations are harsh.