Difference between revisions of "Mauritius"

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{{Languages|Mauritius}}
 
{{Languages|Mauritius}}
  
== Le pays en général ==
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<h2 id="mp-dyk-h2" style="margin:3px; background:#143966;  font-size:120%; font-weight:bold; border:1px solid #a3bfb1;  text-align:left; color:#ffffff; padding:0.2em 0.4em;">General Overview of Mauritius</h2>
  
Maurice est un État insulaire de l'Océan Indien à 868 kilomètres à l'est de Madagascar et 172 kilomètres à l'est-nord-est de La Réunion. Le pays inclut l'île principale de Maurice mais aussi l'île Rodrigues à 560 kilomètres à l'est de l'île principale. Les îles plus lointaines d'Agaléga et de Saint-Brandon font partie du territoire national. La superficie totale du pays est de 2 040 Km². La capitale et plus grande ville est Port-Louis. Ancienne colonie néerlandaise (1638-1710) et française (1715-1810), Maurice est devenue une possession coloniale britannique en 1810 et cela jusqu'en 1968, année de son indépendance. La colonie britannique de Maurice incluait jadis les territoires actuels de Maurice, de Rodrigues, les îles lointaines d'Agaléga, Saint-Brandon, l'archipel des Chagos et les Seychelles. Les territoires mauriciens se réduisirent progressivement avec la création d'une colonie spécifique des Seychelles en 1903 et l'excision de l'archipel des Chagos en 1965.<ref>https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_%28pays%29</ref>
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Mauritius is an island state in the Indian Ocean, located 868 kilometres East of Madagascar and 172 kilometres East-Northeast of Reunion. The country consists of the main island of Mauritius as well as Rodrigues Island, which is located 560 kilometres East of Mauritius’ coast. The more distant islands of Agaléga and Saint-Brandon are also part of the country’s national territory. The total area of ​​Mauritius spans 2,040 km². The capital and largest city is Port-Louis. Mauritius was a former Dutch (1638-1710) and French (1715-1810) colony, before becoming a British colonial possession in 1810 which remained under British rule until 1968, the year of its independence. The British colony of Mauritius once included the present-day territories of Mauritius, Rodrigues, Agaléga, Saint-Brandon, the Chagos archipelago and the Seychelles. The Mauritian territories were gradually reduced with the creation of a specific colony of the Seychelles in 1903 and the excision of the Chagos archipelago in 1965.<ref>https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_%28pays%29</ref>
  
La population de Maurice est multiethnique, multiconfessionnelle, multiculturelle et plurilingue. Du fait de son histoire coloniale entre la France et le Royaume-Uni, Maurice connait une diversité linguistique. Les trois langues officielles de Maurice sont l’anglais, le créole et le français. Mais de nombreux mauriciens parlent en plus tamoul, hindi, ourdou, chinois, etc. en raison des origines diverses de la population mauricienne. Maurice est très bien noté en matière de démocratie et des libertés économiques et politiques. L'Indice de développement humain de Maurice est le plus élevé d'Afrique. Avec les autres îles des Mascareignes, Maurice est connue pour sa faune et sa flore, avec plusieurs espèces endémiques au pays. L'île est particulièrement réputée pour le dodo, qui avec d'autres espèces endémiques, s'est éteint peu après l'arrivée des premiers êtres humains.<ref>Ibid. </ref>
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The population of Mauritius is multiethnic, multiconfessional, multicultural and multilingual. The three official languages ​​of Mauritius are English, Creole and French. However, many Mauritians also speak Tamil, Hindi, Urdu, Chinese, and other languages due to the diverse origins of the Mauritian population. Mauritius is highly rated in terms of democracy and economic and political freedoms. Mauritius' Human Development Index is the highest in Africa. Similar to the other Mascarene Islands, Mauritius is known for its flora and fauna, with several species endemic to the country. The island is particularly famous for the dodo, a flightless bird,  which along with other endemic species, became extinct soon after the arrival of the first colonists in the 17th century.<ref>Ibid. </ref>
  
Les historiens pensent que les premiers visiteurs de l'île Maurice furent les navigateurs phéniciens qui l’auraient abordé lors de la première circumnavigation autour du continent africain, commanditée par le pharaon d’Égypte Néchao II, vers l’an -600. Les marins arabes visitèrent Maurice régulièrement à partir du Ve siècle et lui donnèrent le nom de Dina Arobi. Ce n'est qu'au début du XVIe siècle que des navigateurs portugais commencèrent à circuler dans la région. Des Portugais s'y installèrent pour la première fois en 1507 et ont établi une base de visite.<ref>http://www.cosmovisions.com/chronomaurice.htm</ref> L’île figure sur les premières cartes portugaises, avec le nom portugais de Cirne, probablement en raison de la présence du dodo, un oiseau incapable de voler qui a été trouvé en grand nombre à cette époque. Un autre marin portugais, Pedro de Mascarenhas, a donné le nom Mascareignes à l’archipel d'îles désormais connues sous le nom de Maurice, Rodrigues et La Réunion. L’île demeura inhabitée jusqu'à l'établissement d’une colonie en 1638 par les Provinces-Unies, les Néerlandais la nommant en l’honneur de Maurice de Nassau. Elle fut abandonnée faute de passage de commerçants en 1710 et cinq ans plus tard, l’île devint une colonie française et rebaptisée Isle de France. Par sa position stratégique, l’île était surnommée « l'étoile et la clé » de l’océan Indien, d'où sa devise actuelle.
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Historians believe that the first visitors to Mauritius were Phoenician navigators commissioned by the Egyptian pharaoh Necho II, around the year 600 BC. Arab sailors visited Mauritius regularly from the fifth century and gave it the name of Dina Arobi. It was not until the beginning of the 16th century that Portuguese navigators began to regularly visit the region. The Portuguese first settled there in 1507 and established a visiting base.<ref>https://d-nb.info/974297240/34</ref> The island appears on the earliest Portuguese maps, with the Portuguese name of Ilha do Cirne, “Island of the Swan,” possibly due to the presence of the dodo, which was found in large numbers around this time. Another Portuguese sailor, Pedro de Mascarenhas, gave the name Mascareignes to the archipelago of islands now known as Mauritius, Rodrigues and Reunion. The island remained uninhabited until the establishment of a colony in 1638 by the United Provinces, the Dutch naming it in honour of Maurice de Nassau, Prince of Orange. It was abandoned for lack of passage of traders in 1710 and five years later, the island became a French colony and was renamed Isle de France. Due to its strategic position, the island was nicknamed "the star and the key" of the Indian Ocean, which became and remains the island’s motto.
  
== Le système politique et juridique de Maurice ==
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<h2 id="mp-dyk-h2" style="margin:3px; background:#143966;  font-size:120%; font-weight:bold; border:1px solid #a3bfb1;  text-align:left; color:#ffffff; padding:0.2em 0.4em;">Mauritius’ Political and Legal System</h2>
  
=== Panorama politique ===
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=== Political Panorama of Mauritius ===
  
Depuis l’indépendance de Maurice en 1968, la Reine de Grande-Bretagne a exercé les fonctions de chef de l’Etat jusqu’en 1992, lorsque le statut de République est adopté. La Constitution, octroyée par un décret du gouvernement britannique d’Angleterre en mars 1968 repose sur deux préceptes fondamentaux à savoir : l’Etat de droit et la doctrine de la séparation des pouvoirs.<ref>Glover, V. (2001). La constitutionnalisation du droit et la justice à l'Île Maurice. Les Cahiers de droit, 42(3), 631–642.doi:10.7202/043664ar</ref> L’article 1 dispose que la République de Maurice est un «Etat démocratique souverain».<ref>Article I constitution de la République de Maurice de 1968, http://mjp.univ-perp.fr/constit/mu1968.htm </ref>  
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Between Mauritius’ independence in 1968, and 1992, when the Statute of Republic was adopted, the Queen of Great Britain served as Head of State. The Constitution, granted by a decree of the British government of England in March of 1968, is based on two fundamental precepts: the rule of law and the doctrine of the separation of powers.<ref>Glover, V. (2001)</ref> Article 1 provides that the Republic of Mauritius is a "sovereign democratic state".<ref>Article I of the Constitution of Mauritius 1968, http://mjp.univ-perp.fr/constit/mu1968.htm </ref>
  
La Constitution mauricienne a instauré une République parlementaire, le 12 mars 1992, avec la séparation des pouvoirs entre le législatif, le judiciaire et l’exécutif.<ref>http://attorneygeneral.govmu.org/English/Documents/Constitution/THE%20CONSTITUTION,%20GN%2054%20of%201968.pdf</ref> Elle comporte une liste de droits fondamentaux inspirés directement des stipulations de la Convention Européenne des Droits de l’Homme, lesquelles étaient applicables à Maurice depuis 1956 en vertu d’un arrêté du Ministre britannique des colonies. La Constitution mauricienne pose d’emblée, comme celles des autres pays du Commonwealth élaborées par des juristes britanniques, le principe de sa supériorité sur toute autre norme et met en place un système permettant la sanction juridique de cette suprématie.  
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The Mauritian Constitution established a parliamentary republic on March 12, 1992, with the separation of powers between the legislature, the judiciary and the executive.<ref> https://legiglobe.rf2d.org/maurice/2016/06/28/ </ref> It includes a list of fundamental rights inspired directly by the stipulations of the European Convention on Human Rights, which had been implemented in Mauritius since 1956 by virtue of an order of the British Minister for the Colonies. The Mauritian Constitution immediately establishes– like those of other Commonwealth countries developed by British jurists– the principle of its superiority over any other norm and sets up a system allowing the legal sanction of this supremacy.
  
Le président n’a qu’un pouvoir de représentation. Pour accéder à la présidence, il faut être un citoyen mauricien résidant à Maurice depuis au moins cinq ans et être âgé de plus de 40 ans. Le président est élu par l’Assemblée sur proposition du Premier ministre adoptée par la majorité des membres de celle-ci. Il reste en fonction pour une période de 5 ans et est rééligible. Le pouvoir exécutif est détenu par le Premier Ministre et un Cabinet ministériel. En juin 2015, l’Assemblée a nommé à l’unanimité Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, faisant d’elle la première femme à la présidence à Maurice.
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As Mauritius is a parliamentary republic, the country’s presidents only possess the power of representation. In order to be eligible to run for president, one must be a Mauritian citizen residing in Mauritius for at least five years and be over the age of forty years old. The President is elected by the assembly on the proposal of the prime minister, adopted by the majority of its members. He or she remains in office for a period of five years and is eligible for re-election. Executive power is held by the Prime Minister and a cabinet minister. In June 2015, the assembly unanimously appointed Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, making her the first woman to preside over Mauritius. As of December 2019, the current President of Mauritius is Prithvirajsing Roopun.
  
L’Assemblée élit aussi un Vice-Président selon les mêmes modalités que le président. Il exerce les fonctions que le président lui assigne. C’est lui aussi qui assure le rôle de président en cas de vacance. L’Assemblée nationale, détentrice du pouvoir législatif, est composée de 66 députés élus et 4 nommés par la commission électorale, pour 4 ans. La langue officielle de l’Assemblée est l’anglais, mais tout membre peut s’adresser à la présidence en français.
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The assembly also elects a Vice-President on the same terms as the President. He performs the functions assigned to him by the President. He is also the one who assumes the role of chairman in the event of a vacancy. The National Assembly, which holds legislative power, is made up of sixty-six elected deputies and four appointed by the electoral commission, for four years. The official language of the assembly is English, but any member may address the chair in French.
  
=== Organisation judiciaire ===
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=== Judicial Organisation of Mauritius ===  
  
Disons d’emblée que le pouvoir judiciaire mauricien est exercé par des juridictions dont la plus élevée est la Cour suprême, qui agit aussi bien comme juridiction de première instance que comme cour d’appel. La Cour suprême de Maurice possède une compétence illimitée d’entendre et de décider de toutes les questions de droit civil ou pénal selon toutes les lois, sauf les lois disciplinaires.<ref>Section 76 (1) de la Constitution mauricienne</ref>
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Mauritius’ judicial power is exercised by courts, the highest of which is the Supreme Court, which acts both as a court of first instance and as a court of appeal. The Supreme Court of Mauritius has unlimited jurisdiction to hear and decide all matters pertaining to civil or criminal law under all laws except disciplinary laws.<ref>Section 76 (1) of the Constitution of Mauritius 1968</ref>
  
L’île Maurice, où fut promulgué en son temps le Code civil français de 1804, l’a conservé après l’annexion par la Grande-Bretagne en 1810. Il a été modifié par diverses lois anglaises disparates. Le système juridique mauricien est aujourd’hui un mélange de droit civil et de Common Law. Le Code pénal mauricien, copié sur le modèle du Code pénal français et promulgué en 1838, est divisé en quatre livres. La première traite des sanctions (« penalties »), le second de la responsabilité (« Persons punishable, excusable or responsible »), le troisième des délits et le quatrième des contraventions.
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The French Civil Code of 1804 (also known as the Napoleonic Code) was promulgated in its time in Mauritius, and remained in effect in the country even after annexation by Great Britain in 1810. It has been amended by various English laws. Today, the Mauritian legal system is a mixture of civil law and common law. The Mauritius Penal Code came into effect in 1838 based on the model of the French Penal Code and is divided into four books. The first book deals with penalties, the second with liability (“Persons punishable, excusable or responsible”), the third with offences and finally the fourth with fines.
  
L’organisation juridictionnelle est assez proche de celle connue dans les systèmes anglo-saxons. Elle repose sur un axe unitaire où la distinction entre droit privé et droit public n’entraîne pas de distinction de juridictions. De plus, toutes les juridictions de droit commun sont compétentes tant au civil qu’au pénal. Le système judiciaire ici est formé des juridictions de droit communs et des juridictions d’exception.<ref>http://legiglobe.rf2d.org/maurice/2016/06/28/</ref>
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The court system is quite close to that known in Anglo-Saxon systems. It is based on a unitary axis where the distinction between private law and public law does not lead to a difference in jurisdiction. In addition, all ordinary courts have jurisdiction in both civil and criminal matters. The judicial system here is made up of common law and emergency jurisdictions.<ref>http://legiglobe.rf2d.org/maurice/2016/06/28/</ref>
  
==== Les juridictions de droit commun ====
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==== Common-Law Courts ====
  
Ces juridictions sont la cour suprême, la cour intermédiaire et les tribunaux de district.
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Common law courts consist of the Supreme Court, the Intermediate Court and the District Courts.
  
===== La Cour Suprême =====
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==== The Supreme Court ====
  
La Cour Suprême se trouve au sommet de la hiérarchie judiciaire. Elle fait fonction de Cour d’appel connaît des appels de ses sections statuant en premier ressort et des Cours inférieures. Elle fait également fonction de Cour constitutionnelle.<ref>Section 83 de la Constitution mauricienne </ref> Elle est présidée par un Chief Justice (Chef juge) et divisée en chambres spécialisées pour les affaires civiles avec une division spéciale s’occupant uniquement des affaires familiales, les affaires commerciales et les affaires pénales. La Cour Suprême a compétence pour contrôler toutes procédures civiles ou pénales devant toute cour inférieure et peut émettre telles injonctions ou ordonnances et donner telles directives qu’elle considère adéquates pour s’assurer que la justice est dûment rendue par de telles cours.
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The Supreme Court sits at the top of the judicial hierarchy. It acts as a Court of Appeal which hears appeals from its first instance and lower courts. It also functions as the Constitutional Court.<ref>Section 83 of the Constitution of Mauritius 1968 </ref> It is chaired by the Chief Justice and divided into specialized chambers for civil matters, with a special division dealing only with family matters, commercial matters and criminal matters. The Supreme Court has jurisdiction to review all civil or criminal proceedings before any lower court and may issue such injunctions as it sees fit in order to ensure that justice is duly served by such courts.
  
S’agissant des décisions rendues par la Cour Suprême en matière criminelle et civile, il existe une possibilité d’appel devant le Conseil Privé (Privy Council) de la reine d’Angleterre. Le Conseil privé est une juridiction d’appel qui fixe librement sa compétence. En pratique il suit les règles de compétence fixées depuis longtemps, avant même l’indépendance du pays, par sa jurisprudence, particulièrement au pénal. En matière civile et constitutionnelle, le Conseil intervient directement sans l’écran d’une Cour d’appel mauricienne quand la Cour suprême statue en premier et dernier ressort.  
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In regards to decisions related to criminal and civil matters in the Supreme Court, there is a possibility of appeal to the Privy Council of the Queen of England. The Privy Council is a court of appeal which freely determines its jurisdiction. In practice, it follows the rules of jurisdiction which have been in place for many decades (even prior to the country's independence in 1968) by its case law, particularly in criminal matters. In civil and constitutional matters, the Council intervenes directly without the screen of a Mauritius Court of Appeal when the Supreme Court rules as a first and last resort.
  
===== La Cour intermédiaire =====
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==== The Intermediate Court ====
  
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The Intermediate Court, headquartered in Port-Louis, is competent for civil disputes which exceed the rate of jurisdiction provided for the district courts. It also has criminal jurisdiction for offences that are not tried by the primary courts.
  
La Cour intermédiaire (Intermediate Court), dont le siège est fixé à Port-Louis, est compétente pour les litiges en matière civile qui dépassent le taux du ressort prévu pour les tribunaux de district. Elle a également compétence en matière pénale pour les infractions qui ne sont pas jugées par les juridictions de base.
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==== District Courts ====
  
===== Les tribunaux de district =====
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The other courts are the District Courts, which have jurisdiction over certain civil trials and certain offences.
  
Les autres tribunaux sont les tribunaux de district (District Court), qui sont compétents pour certains procès civils et certains délits.
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==== The Exceptional Courts ====
  
==== Les juridictions d’exception ====
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• The Assize Court is presided by a judge of the Supreme Court and is responsible for judging the most serious offences.
  
La Cour d’Assises présidée par un juge de la Cour Suprême et chargée de juger les infractions les plus graves.
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The Industrial Court settles disputes between employees and employers.
  
La Cour Industrielle qui tranche les litiges entre employés et employeurs.
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The Profiteering Court judges traders who have committed fines.
  
• La Profiteering Court qui juge les commerçants, auteurs de contraventions.
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<h2 id="mp-dyk-h2" style="margin:3px; background:#143966;  font-size:120%; font-weight:bold; border:1px solid #a3bfb1;  text-align:left; color:#ffffff; padding:0.2em 0.4em;">Legal Aid in Mauritius</h2>
  
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The Republic of Mauritius grants legal assistance to any party eligible to receive it under the conditions established by the Legal Assistance Act. In this sense, legal aid can be granted to applicants in civil or criminal cases provided that: [i] the monthly income of the applicant is less than 10,000 rupees and his assets are worth less than 500,000 rupees; and [ii] that the request for legal aid is "well-founded".<ref>The Legal Aid (Amendment) Act 2012, https://www.gov.im/media/1351172/legal-aid-amendment-act-2012.pdf</ref> The procedure for obtaining legal aid entails [i] submitting a request to the relevant court stating the reason for its action, the reason for its appeal, or the nature of the extrajudicial case for which the request is made; and [ii] a declaration of honour that his financial circumstances meet the above criteria.
  
== L’aide juridictionnelle à Maurice ==
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<h2 id="mp-dyk-h2" style="margin:3px; background:#143966;  font-size:120%; font-weight:bold; border:1px solid #a3bfb1;  text-align:left; color:#ffffff; padding:0.2em 0.4em;">Sources of Mauritian Defense Law</h2>
  
La République de Maurice octroie l’assistance juridique à toute partie éligible à la recevoir selon les conditions établies par la Loi sur l’assistance juridique. Dans ce sens, l’assistance juridique peut être octroyée aux demandeurs dans les affaires civiles ou pénales à condition que : le revenu mensuel du demandeur soit inférieur à 10 000 roupies et que ses actifs valent moins de 500 000 roupies; et que la demande d’aide judiciaire soit «bien fondée».<ref>The legal aid (amendment) act 2012, http://dpp.govmu.org/English/Documents/Legislation/legalaid2012.pdf</ref> La procédure pour bénéficier de l’aide juridictionnelle consiste à adresser une demande auprès du tribunal concerné énonçant la raison de son action, la raison de son appel, ou la nature de l’affaire extrajudiciaire pour laquelle la demande est faite; et une déclaration sur l’honneur que ses circonstances financières répondent aux critères susmentionnés.
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In Mauritius, the law is based on different sources, including the constitution and legislation, written laws, judicial precedents (case law), English Common Law and, to a lesser extent, international conventions.
  
== Sources du droit de la défense mauricien ==
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1. Article 2 of the Mauritian Constitution provides that the Constitution is the supreme law of the land. Accordingly, any law contrary to the Constitution must– to the extent of its unconstitutionality– be void.<ref>Article 2 of the Constitution of Mauritius 1968, https://mjp.univ-perp.fr/constit/mu1968.htm</ref> The Mauritian penal code, due to the coexistence of both French law and the later introduced Common Law, provides that in the event of a conflict between the two sources of law, French law takes precedence over English law.<ref>Glover, V. (2001). La constitutionnalisation du droit et de la justice à l’Ile Maurice. Les cahiers de droit, 42 (3), 631-642. Doit10.7202/043664ar.</ref>
  
A Maurice, le droit se fonde sur différentes sources dont : la constitution et la législation, les lois écrites, les précédents judiciaires (jurisprudence), la Common Law anglaise et dans une moindre mesure les conventions internationales.
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2. There are also written laws, drawn up in either English or French. In the field of civil and private law, laws are drafted in French (Civil Code, Commercial Code and Code of Civil Procedure). The Criminal Code (the Criminal Code Act of 1838) is drafted in both French and English. There are many special laws written in English (for example, the Employment Relations Act of 2008, the Employment Rights Act of 2008, the Notaries Act of 2008, the Sale of Immovable Property Act of 1864, etc.). Currently, the written laws are Acts of Parliament (referred to as statutory law or primary legislation) and regulations (secondary legislation).<ref>Georgijevic, S. (Lecturer, Faculty of Law and Management, University of Mauritius, Republic of Mauritius) http://www.legiscompare.fr/web/IMG/pdf/170904_la_chouette_fp_maurice_fr.pdf.</ref>
  
1. L'article 2 de la Constitution mauricienne dispose que la Constitution est la loi suprême du pays. En conséquence, toute loi contraire à la Constitution doit, dans la mesure de son inconstitutionnalité, être nulle.<ref>Article 2 de la constitution mauricienne. http://attorneygeneral.govmu.org/English/Documents/Constitution/THE%20CONSTITUTION,%20GN%2054%20of%201968.pdf</ref> Le code pénal mauricien en raison de la cohabitation du droit d’origine français et de la Common Law, prévoit qu’en cas de conflit entre les deux sources de droit, le texte français prime celui anglais.<ref>Glover, V. (2001). La constitutionnalisation du droit et la justice à l’Ile Maurice. Les cahiers de droit, 42 (3), 631-642. Doit10.7202/043664ar.</ref>
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3. The Precedents Judiciaries (Case Law) are a formal source of Mauritian law by virtue of section 2 of Ordinance No. 2 of 1850, which established the Supreme Court of Mauritius, giving it the same powers, authorities, and jurisdictions as are owned and operated by the Court of Queen's Bench in England. In addition, Section 4 of this Ordinance provides that the Supreme Court and its judges will proceed in the same way as the Court of Queen's Bench and its judges.
  
2. Il existe aussi des Lois écrites, rédigées soit en anglais soit en français. Dans le domaine du droit civil et privé, les lois sont rédigées en français (Code civil, Code de commerce et Code de procédure civile). Le Code pénal (le Criminal Code Actde1838) est rédigé à la fois en français et en anglais. Il existe de nombreuses lois spéciales écrites en anglais (par exemple, l’Employment Relations Act de 2008, l’Employment Rights Act de 2008, le Notaries Act de 2008, le Sale of Immovable Property Act de1864, etc.). À l’heure actuelle, les lois écrites sont les Actes du Parlement (appelés droit statutaire ou législation primaire) et règlements (législation secondaire).<ref>Shivani GEORGIJEVIC (Enseignante, Faculté de droit et de gestion, Université de Maurice, République de Maurice) http://www.legiscompare.fr/web/IMG/pdf/170904_la_chouette_fp_maurice_fr.pdf.</ref>
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4. English Common Law is a direct source of Mauritian law in certain cases such as contempt of court, judicial review, and evidence. In addition, according to section 16 of the Courts Act of 1945, the Supreme Court of Mauritius is a Court of Equity, which has been entrusted with the power to apply justice in all cases where legal remedies are not provided in the law.
  
3. Les Précédents Judiciaires (Jurisprudence) sont une source formelle du droit mauricien grâce à la section 2 de l’Ordonnance n° 2 de1850, qui a établi la Cour suprême de Maurice, en lui conférant les mêmes pouvoirs, autorités, et juridictions qui sont possédés et exercés par la Cour du Banc de la Reine en Angleterre. De plus, la section 4 de cette Ordonnance prévoit que la Cour suprême et ses juges procéderont de même façon que la Cour du Banc de la Reine et ses juges.
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5. International Conventions are also a source of law in Mauritius, although not directly applicable after their ratification. They must be incorporated into national law by means of an Act of Parliament incorporating part or all of the given convention.<ref>Ibid. </ref>
  
4. La Common Law anglaise est une source directe du droit mauricien dans certains cas tels que l’outrage à la cour, le contrôle judiciaire, et la preuve. De plus, selon la section 16 du Courts Act de 1945, la Cour suprême de Maurice est une Cour d’Équité, à laquelle on a confié le pouvoir d’appliquer la justice dans tous les cas où des remèdes légaux ne sont pas prévus dans la loi.  
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<h2 id="mp-dyk-h2" style="margin:3px; background:#143966;  font-size:120%; font-weight:bold; border:1px solid #a3bfb1;  text-align:left; color:#ffffff; padding:0.2em 0.4em;">Trial and Rights of the Accused in Mauritius</h2>
  
5. Les Conventions Internationales sont également une source du droit à Maurice bien que n’étant pas directement applicables après leur ratification. Elles doivent être incorporées dans le droit national au moyen d’un Acte du Parlement incorporant une partie ou l’ensemble de la convention donnée.<ref>Idem. </ref>
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Article 5, Paragraph 2 of the Mauritian constitution recommends that anyone arrested or detained should be informed, as soon as reasonably possible and in a language that he or she understands, of the reasons for his or her arrest or detention.<ref>Article II of the Constitution of Mauritius 1968, op.cit. </ref> Additionally, the accused must be informed of their rights at the time of their arrest. An inability to do so will result in the cancellation of a trial or procedural irregularities. Police investigations are required to be conducted within the legal framework of the law, so confessions, testimony and any other evidence obtained under duress are inadmissible if the court is informed of the procedural violation.
  
== Procès et droits de l'accusé à Maurice ==
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The principal rights of the accused are as followed: one has the right to make a phone call, the right to see a doctor if necessary, and above all, the right to a lawyer. If the accused cannot afford legal assistance, the Mauritian courts will appoint them with a lawyer.
  
L’article 5 Alinéa 2 de la constitution mauricienne recommande que quiconque est arrêté ou détenu doit être informé, dès que raisonnablement possible et dans une langue qu'il comprend, des motifs de son arrestation ou de sa détention.<ref>Constitution mauricienne, Article 2, op.cit. </ref> Ajouté à ceci, le prévenu doit être informé de ses droits au moment de son arrestation faute de quoi son procès pourrait être annulé pour vice de procédure. Les enquêtes policières sont tenues d’être menées dans le cadre légale de la loi si bien que les aveux, témoignages et toutes autres preuves obtenues sous la contrainte sont irrecevables si la cour est informée de la violation de la procédure.  
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Mauritian law provides for outright annulment of proceedings in the event of a violation of the rights of the accused and, in certain cases, compensation proceedings may be initiated. The prosecutor or Director of Public Prosecutions as is the case in Mauritius is responsible for ensuring that all means of the investigation have been implemented for the manifestation of the truth.
  
Toute personne en état d’arrestation a le droit de passer un coup de fil, de voir un médecin en cas de besoin et surtout, elle a droit à un avocat pour assurer sa défense. La justice mauricienne prévoit dans ce sens un avocat commis d’office selon les conditions fixées par la loi et telles que présenter plus haut.
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With regard to the jurisdiction of the different courts, in civil law cases, any proceeding before the Supreme Court, except those governed by other sections of the Courts Act, will be conducted before a single judge.<ref>Courts Act Section 35</ref> However, the Chief Judge may, either ''proprio motu'' or at the written and reasoned request of a party to the trial, decide that the case will be heard by two or more judges, depending on the interests at stake or the importance or complexity of the legal or factual issues involved.<ref>Courts Act Section 36</ref> In criminal cases, when the law requires that the case be referred to the full court, three or five judges will hear the case.<ref>Courts Act Section 39</ref> It is important to note that only one hearing can be held to decide, at the same time, on questions of civil law and criminal law.<ref>Courts Act Section 40</ref> Appeals to the Supreme Court will be heard by at least two judges, unless another form of written law explicitly states otherwise.<ref>Courts Act Section 70</ref>
  
La loi mauricienne prévoit une annulation pure et simple des poursuites en cas de violation des droits du prévenu et dans certains cas, une procédure de dédommagement peut être engagée. Le procureur ou Directeur des Poursuites Publiques comme c’est le cas à Maurice est chargée de s’assurer que tous les moyens de l’enquête ont été mis en œuvre en vue de la manifestation de la vérité.
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The Supreme Court (Mediation) Rules of 2010 made mediation possible in court proceedings before the Supreme Court. According to Section 2 (1) of the regulations, this text “shall apply to actions, questions and cases of civil law which have been submitted and are still pending before the Supreme Court, as the Chief Justice may deem it appropriate to order the mediation before a judge of the Supreme Court ”. In addition, paragraph two provides that: “Without prejudicing the generality of paragraph 1, each party to a civil lawsuit which has been started or is still pending before the Supreme Court may request the Chief Justice to order mediation.” The regulations provide for the function of a Mediation Judge who has been given the power to act as a mediator.
  
Du point de la compétence des différentes cours, dans les affaires de droit civil, tout acte de procédure devant la Cour suprême, à l’exception de ceux qui sont régis par d’autres sections du Courts Act, se déroulera devant un juge unique.<ref>Court Act section 35</ref> Cependant, le Chef Juge peut, soit proprio motu soit sur demande écrite et motivée d’une partie au procès, décider que l’affaire sera entendue par 2 ou plusieurs juges, eu égard à l’ampleur des intérêts en jeu ou à l’importance ou à la complexité des questions de droit ou de fait concernées.<ref>Court Act section 36</ref> Dans les affaires pénales, lorsque la loi exige que l’affaire soit soumise à la Cour au complet, 3 ou 5 juges entendront l’affaire.<ref>Courts Act section 39</ref> Il est important de remarquer qu’une seule audience peut être tenue pour statuer, en même temps, sur les questions de droit civil et de droit pénal.<ref>Courts Act section 40</ref> Sauf s’il est autrement disposé, de façon explicite, dans une autre loi, les appels adressés à la Cour suprême seront entendus par au moins 2 juges.<ref>Courts Act section 70</ref>
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The right of appeal is governed by Sections 92 and 93 of the District and Intermediate Court Act. A person who is not satisfied with a judgment rendered by a magistrate or a judge can challenge it through an appeal. A person who has their appeal dismissed by the Mauritius Court of Appeal always has the last resort of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, also known as the court of final instance. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is the court of appeal to 27 jurisdictions around the world, including 14 sovereign countries. Mauritius has maintained the jurisdiction of Her Majesty the Queen of England although it acquired Republic status in 1992. Appeals to the Privy Council are governed by Article 81 of the Constitution. Appeals to the Judicial Committee are usually heard by a bench composed of five judges. The request to appeal to the Privy Council is subject to Supreme Court leave, known in legal terms as Special Leave. The Constitution of Mauritius states that one has the right to appeal if they are not satisfied with the judgment rendered by a magistrate or a judge. Appeals are given in cases of legal error, juror misconduct and/or ineffective assistance of counsel.<ref>https://www.lemauricien.com/article/proces-en-appel-recours-meconnu/</ref>
  
Les Supreme Court (Mediation) Rules de 2010 ont rendu la médiation possible dans les procédures judiciaires devant la Cour suprême. Selon la section 2(1) des règlements, ce texte «s’appliquera aux actions, questions et affaires de droit civil qui ont été soumises et sont toujours en cours devant la Cour suprême, comme le Chef Juge peut juger opportun d’ordonner la médiation devant un juge de la Cour suprême». De plus, le paragraphe 2 prévoit que «sans porter atteinte à la généralité du paragraphe 1, chaque partie à un procès civil qui a été commencé ou est toujours en cours devant la Cour suprême peut demander au chef Juge d’ordonner la médiation». Les règlements prévoient la fonction d’un juge de médiation (Mediation Judge) auquel l’on a conféré le pouvoir d’agir comme médiateur.
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=== Trial, Rights and Special Measures for Accused Juveniles ===
  
Le droit d’appel est régi par les articles 92 et 93 de la District and Intermediate Court Act. Une personne non satisfaite d’un jugement rendu par un magistrat ou un juge peut le contester à travers un appel. Une personne qui voit son appel rejeté par la Cour d’Appel de Maurice a toujours un dernier recours, le Judicial Committee du Privy Council, appelé le tribunal de dernière instance. Le comité judiciaire du Conseil privé constitue le tribunal d’appel à l’égard de 27 juridictions de par le monde, dont 14 pays souverains. L’île Maurice a maintenu la juridiction de Sa Majesté la Reine d’Angleterre bien qu’elle ait acquis le statut de République en 1992. L’appel au Privy Council est régi par l’article 81 de la Constitution. Les appels au comité judiciaire sont habituellement entendus par un banc composé de cinq juges. La demande pour faire appel devant le Privy Council est soumise à l’autorisation de la Cour suprême, ce qu’on appelle dans le jargon juridique Special Leave. La Constitution de Maurice prévoit que le juge à Maurice doit obligatoirement donner une autorisation, le droit de recours est dit de droit (as of right) dans toutes les affaires impliquant l’interprétation d’une norme constitutionnelle, en matière législative et des litiges d’un montant élevé.<ref>https://www.lemauricien.com/article/proces-en-appel-recours-meconnu/</ref>
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Pursuant to Section 66 of the recently enacted Children's Bill (2020), a specialised court known as the Children’s Court is established for accused juveniles, comprising a protection division, a civil division, and a criminal division. As stipulated by the Chief Justice, this Court is to be presided over by a judge rather than a magistrate. The establishment of the Children's Court aims to address the lack of specialised judicial mechanisms for children’s rights. Previously, cases involving children, both civil and criminal, were heard by district courts, the intermediate court or the Supreme Court depending on the nature of the matter. However, these courts were not specialised in hearing children's rights-related matters, nor were they trained in dealing with children’s rights-related cases.<ref>http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1996-20962020000200023</ref>
  
== La situation carcérale à Maurice ==
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The protection division of the Court has exclusive jurisdiction to try any cases concerning children in need of care and protection. For this division, the Chief Justice has jurisdiction to designate one or more magistrates of the intermediate court to exercise jurisdiction.
  
Maurice a aboli la peine de mort en 1995, la dernière exécution remonte à 1987. Toutefois, le débat a été relancé en février 2010 suite à une déclaration du Premier ministre de l’époque, Navin Rangoolam, et soutenue par le Président de l’époque, Sir Anerood Jugnauth, évoquant la possibilité de réintroduire la peine capitale pour certains délits comme le trafic de drogue. La coalition à l’Assemblée s’oppose encore à la réintroduction de la peine capitale.  
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The civil division of the Court has exclusive jurisdiction to try any cases under the Mauritian Civil Code for adoption, or concerning the sale of a minor’s rights, the appointment of a guardian or a sub-guardian to a minor, the search for maternity and paternity of a minor, and any other civil action according to the Chief Justice.  
  
Fabrice Acquilina nous livre quelques statistiques de la situation carcérale mauricienne depuis quelques années. En effet, entre 2000 et 2015, le nombre de personnes incarcérées dans les prisons mauriciennes a doublé. En très grande majorité des hommes (95 %) sous la quarantaine. La part des personnes emprisonnées pour homicide représente seulement 1 % des détenus. 47 % purgent des peines inférieures à trois mois, pour des délits mineurs; 64 %, des peines de moins d’un an. La foule des «enfermés» est d’abord composée de délinquants du quotidien, condamnés pour vol. C’est le motif le plus fréquent (38 %), suivi des coups et blessures (16 %).<ref>https://www.lexpress.mu/keywords/population-carcerale</ref>
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Finally, the criminal division of the Court has exclusive jurisdiction to try (i) prescribed offences committed on a child in the case of a child victim, (ii) cases of child witnesses, (iii) criminal offences committed by a child in the case of juvenile offences.  
  
En sept ans, grâce à la fermeté des autorités mauriciennes, les incarcérations liées aux produits stupéfiants ont chuté de 70 %. Ces infractions ne constituent plus que la quatrième cause de détention (9 %). Toutefois, un mauricien sur cent parmi la population masculine âgée entre 22 et 35 ans est un prisonnier. Autre chiffre inquiétant: un prisonnier sur quatre n’a pas 25 ans. Contre un sur sept il y a 20 ans. Dans une société vieillissante, la population carcérale suit la tendance inverse : elle rajeunit.<ref>Ibid. </ref>
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The Bill explicitly highlights that court proceedings before the Children's Court must be in a child-friendly environment by prescribing how any court proceedings involving children are to be conducted. Firstly, proceedings should be conducted in a language in which the child is familiar with, and language should be adapted in keeping with the child's age and level of maturity. Secondly, proper arrangements must be made in the courtroom to hear the evidence of a child and for the child to be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. The court must also ensure that no person treats a child in a manner that is disrespectful of the child's dignity during the proceedings, taking into account factors such as the child's personal situation and immediate and special needs, age, gender, level of maturity and any disabilities, and must further ensure that the child is treated in a caring and sensitive matter throughout the proceedings by taking into account their personal situation and immediate and special needs. Moreover, a provision is in place which prohibits a court from requiring a child to give evidence against his or her will without the knowledge of his or her parents or legal guardian.<ref>https://laws4me.com/wp-content/uploads/Laws/Mauritius/Juvenile_Offenders.pdf</ref>
  
L’État dépense approximativement Rs 1 000 par prisonnier et par jour. Ce chiffre intègre le budget de fonctionnement des prisons et les charges de personnel. L’administration pénitentiaire, qui utilise un autre mode de calcul, arrive à un coût «d’environ Rs 750». Soit plus de Rs 22 000 par mois. Cependant, 68 % d’ex détenus retournent en prison à Maurice. Cela prouve l’inefficacité de l’enfermement pour interrompre une carrière délinquante. Un gros tiers des détenus a déjà effectué un minimum de cinq séjours derrière les barreaux. Pourtant, il y a du mieux. Le taux de récidive atteignait 94 % dans les années 2010.
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<h2 id="mp-dyk-h2" style="margin:3px; background:#143966;  font-size:120%; font-weight:bold; border:1px solid #a3bfb1;  text-align:left; color:#ffffff; padding:0.2em 0.4em;">Prison Conditions in Mauritius</h2>
  
Maurice comptait près de 2 140 détenus au 12 décembre 2016. Soit l’équivalent de la population de Grande-Rivière-Sud-Est. Si le pays a déjà eu plus de prisonniers, comparé aux autres îles de la région, leur nombre reste élevé. Avec un taux de 168 détenus pour 100 000 habitants,<ref>Mauritius Prison Service, Statistics Mauritius, World Prison Brief</ref> on y emprisonne huit fois plus qu’aux Comores.
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The death penalty was abolished in Mauritius in 1995, with the last execution dating back to 1987. However, the issue was raised once again in February 2010 following a statement made by Navin Ramgoolam, then Prime minister, and supported by former President Sir Anerood Jugnauth, raising the possibility of reintroducing capital punishment for certain offences such as drug trafficking. The coalition in the Assembly still opposes the reintroduction of capital punishment.
  
== Références ==
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Between 2000 and 2018, the number of people incarcerated in Mauritian prisons increased by a factor of 1.5, the vast majority being men (95%) under 40 years of age. Those imprisoned for homicide represent only 1% of inmates; 47% are serving sentences of less than three months for minor offences; 64% are serving sentences of less than one year. Inmates are primarily composed of repeat offenders, convicted of theft. The latter is the most frequent cause of imprisonment (38%), followed by assault and battery (16%).<ref>https://www.lexpress.mu/keywords/population-carcerale</ref>
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In the course of seven years, thanks to the resolution of the Mauritian authorities, drug-related incarcerations have dropped by 70%. These offences are now only the fourth most common cause of detention (9%). However, one out of every 100 Mauritian males between the ages of 22 and 35 is a prisoner. Another troubling figure is that one in four prisoners is under the age of 25, as opposed to one in seven 20 years ago. In an ageing society, the prison population is following the opposite trend: it is getting younger.<ref>Ibid. </ref>
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The state spends approximately 1,000 rupees per prisoner per day. This figure includes the operating budget of the prisons alongside personnel costs. The prison administration, which uses a different method of calculation, comes up with a cost of “approximately 750 rupees.” That is more than 22,000 rupees per month. However, 68% of ex-prisoners in Mauritius are likely to be re-incarcerated. This phenomenon illustrates incarceration’s ineffectiveness when it comes to correcting delinquent behaviour in the long term. One-third of the inmates have already spent a minimum of five sentences behind bars. Mauritius’ recidivism rate reached 94% in the 2010s.
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<h2 id="mp-dyk-h2" style="margin:3px; background:#143966;  font-size:120%; font-weight:bold; border:1px solid #a3bfb1;  text-align:left; color:#ffffff; padding:0.2em 0.4em;">References</h2>

Latest revision as of 12:32, 6 September 2021

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General Overview of Mauritius

Mauritius is an island state in the Indian Ocean, located 868 kilometres East of Madagascar and 172 kilometres East-Northeast of Reunion. The country consists of the main island of Mauritius as well as Rodrigues Island, which is located 560 kilometres East of Mauritius’ coast. The more distant islands of Agaléga and Saint-Brandon are also part of the country’s national territory. The total area of ​​Mauritius spans 2,040 km². The capital and largest city is Port-Louis. Mauritius was a former Dutch (1638-1710) and French (1715-1810) colony, before becoming a British colonial possession in 1810 which remained under British rule until 1968, the year of its independence. The British colony of Mauritius once included the present-day territories of Mauritius, Rodrigues, Agaléga, Saint-Brandon, the Chagos archipelago and the Seychelles. The Mauritian territories were gradually reduced with the creation of a specific colony of the Seychelles in 1903 and the excision of the Chagos archipelago in 1965.[1]

The population of Mauritius is multiethnic, multiconfessional, multicultural and multilingual. The three official languages ​​of Mauritius are English, Creole and French. However, many Mauritians also speak Tamil, Hindi, Urdu, Chinese, and other languages due to the diverse origins of the Mauritian population. Mauritius is highly rated in terms of democracy and economic and political freedoms. Mauritius' Human Development Index is the highest in Africa. Similar to the other Mascarene Islands, Mauritius is known for its flora and fauna, with several species endemic to the country. The island is particularly famous for the dodo, a flightless bird, which along with other endemic species, became extinct soon after the arrival of the first colonists in the 17th century.[2]

Historians believe that the first visitors to Mauritius were Phoenician navigators commissioned by the Egyptian pharaoh Necho II, around the year 600 BC. Arab sailors visited Mauritius regularly from the fifth century and gave it the name of Dina Arobi. It was not until the beginning of the 16th century that Portuguese navigators began to regularly visit the region. The Portuguese first settled there in 1507 and established a visiting base.[3] The island appears on the earliest Portuguese maps, with the Portuguese name of Ilha do Cirne, “Island of the Swan,” possibly due to the presence of the dodo, which was found in large numbers around this time. Another Portuguese sailor, Pedro de Mascarenhas, gave the name Mascareignes to the archipelago of islands now known as Mauritius, Rodrigues and Reunion. The island remained uninhabited until the establishment of a colony in 1638 by the United Provinces, the Dutch naming it in honour of Maurice de Nassau, Prince of Orange. It was abandoned for lack of passage of traders in 1710 and five years later, the island became a French colony and was renamed Isle de France. Due to its strategic position, the island was nicknamed "the star and the key" of the Indian Ocean, which became and remains the island’s motto.

Mauritius’ Political and Legal System

Political Panorama of Mauritius

Between Mauritius’ independence in 1968, and 1992, when the Statute of Republic was adopted, the Queen of Great Britain served as Head of State. The Constitution, granted by a decree of the British government of England in March of 1968, is based on two fundamental precepts: the rule of law and the doctrine of the separation of powers.[4] Article 1 provides that the Republic of Mauritius is a "sovereign democratic state".[5]

The Mauritian Constitution established a parliamentary republic on March 12, 1992, with the separation of powers between the legislature, the judiciary and the executive.[6] It includes a list of fundamental rights inspired directly by the stipulations of the European Convention on Human Rights, which had been implemented in Mauritius since 1956 by virtue of an order of the British Minister for the Colonies. The Mauritian Constitution immediately establishes– like those of other Commonwealth countries developed by British jurists– the principle of its superiority over any other norm and sets up a system allowing the legal sanction of this supremacy.

As Mauritius is a parliamentary republic, the country’s presidents only possess the power of representation. In order to be eligible to run for president, one must be a Mauritian citizen residing in Mauritius for at least five years and be over the age of forty years old. The President is elected by the assembly on the proposal of the prime minister, adopted by the majority of its members. He or she remains in office for a period of five years and is eligible for re-election. Executive power is held by the Prime Minister and a cabinet minister. In June 2015, the assembly unanimously appointed Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, making her the first woman to preside over Mauritius. As of December 2019, the current President of Mauritius is Prithvirajsing Roopun.

The assembly also elects a Vice-President on the same terms as the President. He performs the functions assigned to him by the President. He is also the one who assumes the role of chairman in the event of a vacancy. The National Assembly, which holds legislative power, is made up of sixty-six elected deputies and four appointed by the electoral commission, for four years. The official language of the assembly is English, but any member may address the chair in French.

Judicial Organisation of Mauritius

Mauritius’ judicial power is exercised by courts, the highest of which is the Supreme Court, which acts both as a court of first instance and as a court of appeal. The Supreme Court of Mauritius has unlimited jurisdiction to hear and decide all matters pertaining to civil or criminal law under all laws except disciplinary laws.[7]

The French Civil Code of 1804 (also known as the Napoleonic Code) was promulgated in its time in Mauritius, and remained in effect in the country even after annexation by Great Britain in 1810. It has been amended by various English laws. Today, the Mauritian legal system is a mixture of civil law and common law. The Mauritius Penal Code came into effect in 1838 based on the model of the French Penal Code and is divided into four books. The first book deals with penalties, the second with liability (“Persons punishable, excusable or responsible”), the third with offences and finally the fourth with fines.

The court system is quite close to that known in Anglo-Saxon systems. It is based on a unitary axis where the distinction between private law and public law does not lead to a difference in jurisdiction. In addition, all ordinary courts have jurisdiction in both civil and criminal matters. The judicial system here is made up of common law and emergency jurisdictions.[8]

Common-Law Courts

Common law courts consist of the Supreme Court, the Intermediate Court and the District Courts.

The Supreme Court

The Supreme Court sits at the top of the judicial hierarchy. It acts as a Court of Appeal which hears appeals from its first instance and lower courts. It also functions as the Constitutional Court.[9] It is chaired by the Chief Justice and divided into specialized chambers for civil matters, with a special division dealing only with family matters, commercial matters and criminal matters. The Supreme Court has jurisdiction to review all civil or criminal proceedings before any lower court and may issue such injunctions as it sees fit in order to ensure that justice is duly served by such courts.

In regards to decisions related to criminal and civil matters in the Supreme Court, there is a possibility of appeal to the Privy Council of the Queen of England. The Privy Council is a court of appeal which freely determines its jurisdiction. In practice, it follows the rules of jurisdiction which have been in place for many decades (even prior to the country's independence in 1968) by its case law, particularly in criminal matters. In civil and constitutional matters, the Council intervenes directly without the screen of a Mauritius Court of Appeal when the Supreme Court rules as a first and last resort.

The Intermediate Court

The Intermediate Court, headquartered in Port-Louis, is competent for civil disputes which exceed the rate of jurisdiction provided for the district courts. It also has criminal jurisdiction for offences that are not tried by the primary courts.

District Courts

The other courts are the District Courts, which have jurisdiction over certain civil trials and certain offences.

The Exceptional Courts

• The Assize Court is presided by a judge of the Supreme Court and is responsible for judging the most serious offences.

• The Industrial Court settles disputes between employees and employers.

• The Profiteering Court judges traders who have committed fines.

Legal Aid in Mauritius

The Republic of Mauritius grants legal assistance to any party eligible to receive it under the conditions established by the Legal Assistance Act. In this sense, legal aid can be granted to applicants in civil or criminal cases provided that: [i] the monthly income of the applicant is less than 10,000 rupees and his assets are worth less than 500,000 rupees; and [ii] that the request for legal aid is "well-founded".[10] The procedure for obtaining legal aid entails [i] submitting a request to the relevant court stating the reason for its action, the reason for its appeal, or the nature of the extrajudicial case for which the request is made; and [ii] a declaration of honour that his financial circumstances meet the above criteria.

Sources of Mauritian Defense Law

In Mauritius, the law is based on different sources, including the constitution and legislation, written laws, judicial precedents (case law), English Common Law and, to a lesser extent, international conventions.

1. Article 2 of the Mauritian Constitution provides that the Constitution is the supreme law of the land. Accordingly, any law contrary to the Constitution must– to the extent of its unconstitutionality– be void.[11] The Mauritian penal code, due to the coexistence of both French law and the later introduced Common Law, provides that in the event of a conflict between the two sources of law, French law takes precedence over English law.[12]

2. There are also written laws, drawn up in either English or French. In the field of civil and private law, laws are drafted in French (Civil Code, Commercial Code and Code of Civil Procedure). The Criminal Code (the Criminal Code Act of 1838) is drafted in both French and English. There are many special laws written in English (for example, the Employment Relations Act of 2008, the Employment Rights Act of 2008, the Notaries Act of 2008, the Sale of Immovable Property Act of 1864, etc.). Currently, the written laws are Acts of Parliament (referred to as statutory law or primary legislation) and regulations (secondary legislation).[13]

3. The Precedents Judiciaries (Case Law) are a formal source of Mauritian law by virtue of section 2 of Ordinance No. 2 of 1850, which established the Supreme Court of Mauritius, giving it the same powers, authorities, and jurisdictions as are owned and operated by the Court of Queen's Bench in England. In addition, Section 4 of this Ordinance provides that the Supreme Court and its judges will proceed in the same way as the Court of Queen's Bench and its judges.

4. English Common Law is a direct source of Mauritian law in certain cases such as contempt of court, judicial review, and evidence. In addition, according to section 16 of the Courts Act of 1945, the Supreme Court of Mauritius is a Court of Equity, which has been entrusted with the power to apply justice in all cases where legal remedies are not provided in the law.

5. International Conventions are also a source of law in Mauritius, although not directly applicable after their ratification. They must be incorporated into national law by means of an Act of Parliament incorporating part or all of the given convention.[14]

Trial and Rights of the Accused in Mauritius

Article 5, Paragraph 2 of the Mauritian constitution recommends that anyone arrested or detained should be informed, as soon as reasonably possible and in a language that he or she understands, of the reasons for his or her arrest or detention.[15] Additionally, the accused must be informed of their rights at the time of their arrest. An inability to do so will result in the cancellation of a trial or procedural irregularities. Police investigations are required to be conducted within the legal framework of the law, so confessions, testimony and any other evidence obtained under duress are inadmissible if the court is informed of the procedural violation.

The principal rights of the accused are as followed: one has the right to make a phone call, the right to see a doctor if necessary, and above all, the right to a lawyer. If the accused cannot afford legal assistance, the Mauritian courts will appoint them with a lawyer.

Mauritian law provides for outright annulment of proceedings in the event of a violation of the rights of the accused and, in certain cases, compensation proceedings may be initiated. The prosecutor or Director of Public Prosecutions as is the case in Mauritius is responsible for ensuring that all means of the investigation have been implemented for the manifestation of the truth.

With regard to the jurisdiction of the different courts, in civil law cases, any proceeding before the Supreme Court, except those governed by other sections of the Courts Act, will be conducted before a single judge.[16] However, the Chief Judge may, either proprio motu or at the written and reasoned request of a party to the trial, decide that the case will be heard by two or more judges, depending on the interests at stake or the importance or complexity of the legal or factual issues involved.[17] In criminal cases, when the law requires that the case be referred to the full court, three or five judges will hear the case.[18] It is important to note that only one hearing can be held to decide, at the same time, on questions of civil law and criminal law.[19] Appeals to the Supreme Court will be heard by at least two judges, unless another form of written law explicitly states otherwise.[20]

The Supreme Court (Mediation) Rules of 2010 made mediation possible in court proceedings before the Supreme Court. According to Section 2 (1) of the regulations, this text “shall apply to actions, questions and cases of civil law which have been submitted and are still pending before the Supreme Court, as the Chief Justice may deem it appropriate to order the mediation before a judge of the Supreme Court ”. In addition, paragraph two provides that: “Without prejudicing the generality of paragraph 1, each party to a civil lawsuit which has been started or is still pending before the Supreme Court may request the Chief Justice to order mediation.” The regulations provide for the function of a Mediation Judge who has been given the power to act as a mediator.

The right of appeal is governed by Sections 92 and 93 of the District and Intermediate Court Act. A person who is not satisfied with a judgment rendered by a magistrate or a judge can challenge it through an appeal. A person who has their appeal dismissed by the Mauritius Court of Appeal always has the last resort of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, also known as the court of final instance. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is the court of appeal to 27 jurisdictions around the world, including 14 sovereign countries. Mauritius has maintained the jurisdiction of Her Majesty the Queen of England although it acquired Republic status in 1992. Appeals to the Privy Council are governed by Article 81 of the Constitution. Appeals to the Judicial Committee are usually heard by a bench composed of five judges. The request to appeal to the Privy Council is subject to Supreme Court leave, known in legal terms as Special Leave. The Constitution of Mauritius states that one has the right to appeal if they are not satisfied with the judgment rendered by a magistrate or a judge. Appeals are given in cases of legal error, juror misconduct and/or ineffective assistance of counsel.[21]

Trial, Rights and Special Measures for Accused Juveniles

Pursuant to Section 66 of the recently enacted Children's Bill (2020), a specialised court known as the Children’s Court is established for accused juveniles, comprising a protection division, a civil division, and a criminal division. As stipulated by the Chief Justice, this Court is to be presided over by a judge rather than a magistrate. The establishment of the Children's Court aims to address the lack of specialised judicial mechanisms for children’s rights. Previously, cases involving children, both civil and criminal, were heard by district courts, the intermediate court or the Supreme Court depending on the nature of the matter. However, these courts were not specialised in hearing children's rights-related matters, nor were they trained in dealing with children’s rights-related cases.[22]

The protection division of the Court has exclusive jurisdiction to try any cases concerning children in need of care and protection. For this division, the Chief Justice has jurisdiction to designate one or more magistrates of the intermediate court to exercise jurisdiction.

The civil division of the Court has exclusive jurisdiction to try any cases under the Mauritian Civil Code for adoption, or concerning the sale of a minor’s rights, the appointment of a guardian or a sub-guardian to a minor, the search for maternity and paternity of a minor, and any other civil action according to the Chief Justice.

Finally, the criminal division of the Court has exclusive jurisdiction to try (i) prescribed offences committed on a child in the case of a child victim, (ii) cases of child witnesses, (iii) criminal offences committed by a child in the case of juvenile offences.

The Bill explicitly highlights that court proceedings before the Children's Court must be in a child-friendly environment by prescribing how any court proceedings involving children are to be conducted. Firstly, proceedings should be conducted in a language in which the child is familiar with, and language should be adapted in keeping with the child's age and level of maturity. Secondly, proper arrangements must be made in the courtroom to hear the evidence of a child and for the child to be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. The court must also ensure that no person treats a child in a manner that is disrespectful of the child's dignity during the proceedings, taking into account factors such as the child's personal situation and immediate and special needs, age, gender, level of maturity and any disabilities, and must further ensure that the child is treated in a caring and sensitive matter throughout the proceedings by taking into account their personal situation and immediate and special needs. Moreover, a provision is in place which prohibits a court from requiring a child to give evidence against his or her will without the knowledge of his or her parents or legal guardian.[23]

Prison Conditions in Mauritius

The death penalty was abolished in Mauritius in 1995, with the last execution dating back to 1987. However, the issue was raised once again in February 2010 following a statement made by Navin Ramgoolam, then Prime minister, and supported by former President Sir Anerood Jugnauth, raising the possibility of reintroducing capital punishment for certain offences such as drug trafficking. The coalition in the Assembly still opposes the reintroduction of capital punishment.

Between 2000 and 2018, the number of people incarcerated in Mauritian prisons increased by a factor of 1.5, the vast majority being men (95%) under 40 years of age. Those imprisoned for homicide represent only 1% of inmates; 47% are serving sentences of less than three months for minor offences; 64% are serving sentences of less than one year. Inmates are primarily composed of repeat offenders, convicted of theft. The latter is the most frequent cause of imprisonment (38%), followed by assault and battery (16%).[24]

In the course of seven years, thanks to the resolution of the Mauritian authorities, drug-related incarcerations have dropped by 70%. These offences are now only the fourth most common cause of detention (9%). However, one out of every 100 Mauritian males between the ages of 22 and 35 is a prisoner. Another troubling figure is that one in four prisoners is under the age of 25, as opposed to one in seven 20 years ago. In an ageing society, the prison population is following the opposite trend: it is getting younger.[25]

The state spends approximately 1,000 rupees per prisoner per day. This figure includes the operating budget of the prisons alongside personnel costs. The prison administration, which uses a different method of calculation, comes up with a cost of “approximately 750 rupees.” That is more than 22,000 rupees per month. However, 68% of ex-prisoners in Mauritius are likely to be re-incarcerated. This phenomenon illustrates incarceration’s ineffectiveness when it comes to correcting delinquent behaviour in the long term. One-third of the inmates have already spent a minimum of five sentences behind bars. Mauritius’ recidivism rate reached 94% in the 2010s.

References

  1. https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_%28pays%29
  2. Ibid.
  3. https://d-nb.info/974297240/34
  4. Glover, V. (2001)
  5. Article I of the Constitution of Mauritius 1968, http://mjp.univ-perp.fr/constit/mu1968.htm
  6. https://legiglobe.rf2d.org/maurice/2016/06/28/
  7. Section 76 (1) of the Constitution of Mauritius 1968
  8. http://legiglobe.rf2d.org/maurice/2016/06/28/
  9. Section 83 of the Constitution of Mauritius 1968
  10. The Legal Aid (Amendment) Act 2012, https://www.gov.im/media/1351172/legal-aid-amendment-act-2012.pdf
  11. Article 2 of the Constitution of Mauritius 1968, https://mjp.univ-perp.fr/constit/mu1968.htm
  12. Glover, V. (2001). La constitutionnalisation du droit et de la justice à l’Ile Maurice. Les cahiers de droit, 42 (3), 631-642. Doit10.7202/043664ar.
  13. Georgijevic, S. (Lecturer, Faculty of Law and Management, University of Mauritius, Republic of Mauritius) http://www.legiscompare.fr/web/IMG/pdf/170904_la_chouette_fp_maurice_fr.pdf.
  14. Ibid.
  15. Article II of the Constitution of Mauritius 1968, op.cit.
  16. Courts Act Section 35
  17. Courts Act Section 36
  18. Courts Act Section 39
  19. Courts Act Section 40
  20. Courts Act Section 70
  21. https://www.lemauricien.com/article/proces-en-appel-recours-meconnu/
  22. http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1996-20962020000200023
  23. https://laws4me.com/wp-content/uploads/Laws/Mauritius/Juvenile_Offenders.pdf
  24. https://www.lexpress.mu/keywords/population-carcerale
  25. Ibid.