government: absolute monarchy or sultanate

state of civil and political rights: Not free

constitution: 29 September 1959; some constitutional provisions suspended since 1962 under a State of Emergency, others suspended since independence in 1984

legal system: mixed legal system based on English common law and Islamic law; in April 2019, the full Sharia penal codes came into force and apply to Muslims and partly to non-Muslims in parallel with present common law codes

legislative system: unicameral Legislative Council (Majlis Mesyuarat Negara Brunei)

judicial system: Supreme Court (consists of the Court of Appeal and the High Court, each with a chief justice and 2 judges) and Sharia Court (consists of the Court of Appeals and the High Court); Brunei has a dual judicial system of secular and Sharia (religious) courts, the Judicial Committee of Privy Council (in London) serves as the final appellate court for civil cases only; Intermediate Court; Magistrates' Courts; Juvenile Court; small claims courts; lower sharia courts

religion: Muslim (official) 82.1%, Christian 6.7%, Buddhist 6.3%, other 4.9% (2021 est.)

death row: 6 (www.deathpenaltyworldwide.org)

year of last executions: 0-0-0

death sentences: 0

executions: 0