Attacks on Justice 2005: Republic of Equatorial Guinea
Lack of judicial independence is an ongoing concern in Equatorial Guinea.
The executive has total control over judicial appointments and regulates judges’ salaries. Members of the judiciary lack adequate legal training, corruption is widespread and judges are internally and externally subjugated to the will of the government.
Lawyers continue to be vastly under-trained and the Bar Association is controlled by the Ministry of Justice. Some judges and lawyers hold both positions at the same time.
There was talk of judicial reform following a conference on national justice in January 2003 but no substantive steps have yet been taken. Political trials that lack fair trial and due process guarantees continue to take place.
Equatorial Guinea-Attacks on Justice 2005-Publications-2008 (full text, PDF)
