This Country Profile provides a basic overview of the legal history and institutional structures of the Republic of Seychelles, based on research produced by GlobaLex at NYU Law School and the Library of Congress. Under Seychelles' Constitution, Islamic law (sharīʿa or fiqh) has no legal status.
Country Background
Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands located northeast of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. The capital of Seychelles is Victoria. The official languages are Seychellois Creole (by far the most commonly spoken language), English, and French. The country's population in 2017 was 93,920 people. Seychelles is a predominantly Christian country, with about 89% of the population Christian.
Constitution & Legal Structure
Seychelles is referred to as a presidential republic, in which sovereignty belongs to the people and the Constitution is the supreme law of the land. The current Constitution of Seychelles was adopted in 1993, and was amended most recently in 2011. The Constitution provides for a system of government consisting of three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. Each branch of government has clearly delimited functions, with relatively little overlap. Notably, the emphasis in the text is on “balance” rather than formal separation of powers. An elected president acts as head of the executive. Legislative power is vested in a unicameral assembly consisting of twenty-five members. Lastly, the judiciary comprises of a part-time Court of Appeal, a full-time Supreme Court which also sits as the Constitutional Court, and subordinate courts and tribunals.
The legal system of Seychelles has evolved into one of the few genuinely "mixed" or "hybrid" jurisdictions among modern legal systems, drawing extensively on both French civil and English common law traditions. Furthermore, the country's legal system has also been influenced by customary laws/traditions.
Constitutional Status of Islamic Law
Islamic law has no constitutional status in Seychelles.
Jurisdiction(s) of Islamic Law
Islamic law has no official jurisdiction of operation in Seychelles.
Dominant School of Islamic Law
Seychelles has no official school of Islamic law.
Sources of Law for Legal Research
Official Publications
Unofficial Databases
References:
For an extended list of legal resources for this country, see the Library of Congress’s Research Guide, and for a narrative review, see the GlobaLex Foreign Law Research Guide (most updated version, where available). The Constitution is available in the LOC Guide in its original language and at Constitute in English. For full versions of past constitutions, amendments, and related legislation, see HeinOnline World Constitutions Illustrated or Oxford Constitutions of the World [subscription required for each].