Any person suspected or being prosecuted is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a decision that has the force of res judicata following a fair trial in which all legal safeguards were provided. Doubt is interpreted in favour of the accused. Confessions obtained through torture, violence or coercion are of no value. With regard to a fair trial, it should be noted that persons being prosecuted benefit from: -Presumption of innocence; -Principle of legality of the offence and the punishment; -Respect for the rights of the defence. The Code of Criminal Procedure, which establishes the pretrial detention regime, provides that such detention may only be ordered by the investigating magistrate and when it is justified by: -The gravity of the facts; -The need to prevent proofs of the offence from disappearing; -Flight of the accused or commission of new offences. Once a person has been placed in pretrial detention, the investigating magistrate is obliged to expedite the procedure. The magistrate is responsible, at the risk of being held liable, for any negligence that would have pointlessly slowed down the investigation and prolonged the detention. Paragraph 5: Freedom of Conscience Mauritania is an Islamic Republic and consequently all of its citizens are Muslims. However, foreigners can freely practice their religion. Paragraph 6: Right to information The freedom of association policy adopted by the Government has led to the creation of many associations and political groups. Associations, cooperatives, political parties and non-governmental organizations carry out their work in complete freedom. Any newspaper or periodical may be published, without prior authorization and without bond, following a simple declaration. - The total liberalization of means of expression (print, audio-visual or electronic); - Streamlining of procedures for the creation of media outlets and removal of controls on all press organs; - Decriminalization of libel acts. The removal of prison sentences for journalists in the performance of their duties and Government assistance to the private media contribute to ensuring the effectiveness of the right to information. 35