Civil Liberties scenario in Belize – World Countries for Kids

Freedom of the press is guaranteed by the constitution, though it includes usual exceptions for interests such as public order, national security, and morality. While reporting covers quite a wide range of viewpoints in practice, journalists at times face threats, physical harassment, or assault when out for work.

In the year 2022, replacement of the existing Libel and Defamation Act with a new Defamation Act was approved by the cabinet. Among other things, the new Defamation Act abolished the separate offenses of libel and slander, replacing them with the solitary offense of defamation. The act ostensibly expanded the definition of acts considered defamatory and the scope of persons who can be held accountable. Critics have raised alarms about restrictions the new law may put on the media. Religious freedom is protected by the constitution and largely respected in practice. Academic freedom is also respected. There are not much restrictions on individual expression.

Freedom of assembly is protected under the constitution, and the government respects this right in general. In general, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are free from government interference. Trade Unions are free to form and operate, and employers have been punished for violating union rights under the labour code. There are restrictions on the right to strike, and while labour unions are active and politically powerful, their capability to protect workers’ rights is limited in practice.

The judiciary is independent in general, in spite of inadequate resources and intermittent attempts by political and business interests to interfere with its composition. Legislation has been passed mandating senior judges to deliver their written judgments within six months or face removal. In the year 2022, the parliament enacted new legislation that replaced the Supreme Court with a new High Court, which, with the Court of Appeal, encompasses a new Senior Court system.

Defendants and detainees are guaranteed a wide range of legal rights, which are mostly respected in practice. Nevertheless, police have allegedly detained suspects without charge for longer than is permitted by the law and have used the threat of protracted detention to intimidate suspects. Judicial delays and a huge backlog of cases contribute to long drawn-out trials and other procedures, with many defendants spending years in pretrial detention.

Belize is free from any major threats to physical security, such as insurgencies and war, but a long-running border dispute with Guatemala is unresolved. Tensions have diminished in recent years, but there are sporadic incidents. Belize has one of the highest per capita murder rates in the world. Much of the violence that happens is concentrated in the southern portion of Belize City.