JAMAICA COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION (COI) REPORT COI Service 15 January 2013 JAMAICA 15 JANUARY 2013 Contents Preface Paragraphs Background Information 1. GEOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................... 1.01 Maps ......................................................................................................................... 1.03 2. ECONOMY .................................................................................................................. 2.01 3. HISTORY ..................................................................................................................... 3.01 Prior to 1990 ............................................................................................................ 3.01 1990 – April 2010 .................................................................................................... 3.03 May 2010 – September 2011 .................................................................................. 3.07 4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS ............................................................................................. 4.01 September 2011 – December 2012 ....................................................................... 4.01 5. CONSTITUTION ............................................................................................................ 5.01 6. POLITICAL SYSTEM ...................................................................................................... 6.01 Human Rights 7. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 7.01 8. CRIME ........................................................................................................................ 8.01 Gang violence ......................................................................................................... 8.07 9. SECURITY FORCES ...................................................................................................... 9.01 Police (Jamaica Constabulary Force and Island Special Constabulary Force) ........ 9.02 Extra-judicial killings ............................................................................................. 9.04 Torture .................................................................................................................. 9.07 Arbitrary arrest and detention .............................................................................. 9.09 Corruption in the police ........................................................................................ 9.10 Avenues of complaint ........................................................................................... 9.13 Armed forces .......................................................................................................... 9.16 Military service ...................................................................................................... 9.17 10. JUDICIARY .................................................................................................................. 10.01 Organisation ........................................................................................................... 10.04 Independence ......................................................................................................... 10.05 Fair trial .................................................................................................................... 10.07 Legal Aid .............................................................................................................. 10.08 Witness protection ................................................................................................ 10.09 Relevant legislation ................................................................................................ 10.11 11. ARREST AND DETENTION – LEGAL RIGHTS .................................................................... 11.01 12. PRISON CONDITIONS ................................................................................................... 12.01 13. DEATH PENALTY ......................................................................................................... 13.01 14. POLITICAL AFFILIATION ............................................................................................... 14.01 Freedom of political expression ........................................................................... 14.02 Freedom of association and assembly ................................................................ 14.04 Opposition groups and political activists ............................................................ 14.06 15. FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND MEDIA ................................................................................ 15.01 Media freedom ........................................................................................................ 15.01 Internet ..................................................................................................................... 15.04 Academic freedom and cultural events ............................................................... 15.05 16. HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS, ORGANISATIONS AND ACTIVISTS ..................................... 16.01 ii The main text of this COI Report contains the most up to date publicly available information as at 21 December 2012. 15 JANUARY 2013 JAMAICA 17. CORRUPTION .............................................................................................................. 17.01 18. FREEDOM OF RELIGION................................................................................................ 18.01 19. ETHNIC AND ANCESTRAL GROUPS ................................................................................ 19.01 20. LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER PERSONS ............................................... 20.01 Legal provisions ..................................................................................................... 20.04 Treatment by, and attitudes of, state authorities ................................................ 20.10 State protection ................................................................................................... 20.14 Access to health services ..................................................................................... 20.21 Societal treatment and attitudes ........................................................................... 20.24 Violence against LGBT persons .......................................................................... 20.31 21. DISABILITY ................................................................................................................. 21.01 22. WOMEN ...................................................................................................................... 22.01 Overview .................................................................................................................. 22.01 Legal rights ............................................................................................................. 22.05 Political rights ......................................................................................................... 22.08 Social and economic rights ................................................................................... 22.10 Education and employment.................................................................................. 22.12 Health and reproductive rights ............................................................................. 22.15 Violence against women ........................................................................................ 22.23 Sexual violence, including harassment ................................................................ 22.27 Rape ..................................................................................................................... 22.31 Assistance available ............................................................................................. 22.34 23. CHILDREN .................................................................................................................. 23.01 Overview .................................................................................................................. 23.01 Basic legal information ......................................................................................... 23.06 Legal rights ............................................................................................................. 23.07 Judicial rights ........................................................................................................ 23.11 Violence against children ...................................................................................... 23.16 Childcare and protection ....................................................................................... 23.21 Children‘s homes/institutions and orphanages .................................................... 23.25 Education ................................................................................................................ 23.28 Health and welfare .................................................................................................. 23.34 Documentation ....................................................................................................... 23.37 24. TRAFFICKING .............................................................................................................