b) That any person illegally or improperly detained in public or private custody
within such limits be set at liberty"
Detention Review Tribunal Decree, 19/05/1978, Laws of Seychelles 1996.
Section 2.1: "There shall be a tribunal to be called the Detention Review Tribunal consisting of a
Chairman appointed by the Chief Justice and of two other members appointed by the President".
Section 3.1: "The Tribunal shall review the case of any persons detained by virtue of any law that
authorises the taking during a period of public emergency of measures that are reasonably justifiable
for the purpose of dealing with the situation that exists in Seychelles during that period.
2: Such review shall take place not later than one month from the date of detention
under any such law and thereafter during the period of detention at intervals of not more than six
months".
Section 8: "Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with the requirements of this Decree
shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine […]".
Prisons Act, 16/12/1991, Laws of Seychelles 1996.
Section 19.1: "No person shall be confined in a prison except under the authority of a remand
warrant, a warrant or order of detention or a warrant of conviction or committal".
2: "The Superintendent may permit a child of a female prisoner to be detained with
her in a prison if the child is being breast-fed by her and is less than 18 months in age".
In a way of achieving security for the prisoners, this Act in Section 21 (Classification
and separation of prisoners), subsection 1, states: "Male and female prisoners shall be
confined in separate parts of a prison […]". Subsection 2, divides them into distinct
classes, namely: young persons, adults, prisoners awaiting trial, convicted prisoners,
civil prisoners, first offenders and recidivists.
According to subsection 3 of the same Section, "As far as the prison accommodation
renders it practicablea) young persons shall be kept apart from adults;
b) prisoners awaiting trial shall be kept apart from convicted prisoners;
c) civil prisoners shall be kept apart from convicted prisoners; and
d) first offenders shall be kept apart from recidivists".