government: parliamentary constitutional monarchy

state of civil and political rights: Free

constitution: 2 April 1993; amended several times, last in 2011

legal system: mixed legal system of English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

legislative system: bicameral Parliament consists of Senate and National Assembly

judicial system: Court of Appeal (consists of the court president, such number of justices of appeal as set by Parliament, and the Chief Justice and the puisne judges of the High Court ex officio); High Court (consists of the chief justice and such number of puisne judges as set by Parliament); Magistrate Courts; customary or traditional courts; military courts

religion: Protestant 47.8% (Pentecostal 23.1%, Lesotho Evangelical 17.3%, Anglican 7.4%), Roman Catholic 39.3%, other Christian 9.1%, non-Christian 1.4%, none 2.3% (2014 est.)

death row:

year of last executions: 25-11-1995

death sentences: 0

executions: 0