▁of ▁the ▁elect or ate ▁voted ▁in ▁favour ▁of ▁dis eng agement ▁in ▁a ▁refer endum . ▁Hass an ▁G ou led ▁A pt id on ▁became ▁president ▁and ▁his ▁political ▁party , ▁the ▁People ' s ▁R ally ▁for ▁Progress , ▁was ▁declared ▁the ▁sole ▁legal ▁party ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁It ▁has ▁remained ▁in ▁control ▁ever ▁since , ▁under ▁A pt id on ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁and ▁Is ma ï l ▁O mar ▁Gu elle h ▁there after . ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁is ▁a ▁chart ▁of ▁Dj ib out i ' s ▁ratings ▁since ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁in ▁the ▁Fre edom ▁in ▁the ▁World ▁reports , ▁published ▁ann ually ▁by ▁Fre edom ▁House . ▁A ▁rating ▁of ▁ 1 ▁is ▁" free "; ▁ 7 , ▁" not ▁free ". ▁ ▁A pt id on ▁regime ▁( 1 9 7 7 – 1 9 9 9 ) ▁ ▁Cla ims ▁of ▁political ▁det ent ions ▁and ▁tort ure ▁began ▁almost ▁immediately ▁after ▁independence . ▁On ▁ 1 5 ▁December ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁sevent een ▁supp or ters ▁of ▁the ▁opposition ▁M ouv ement ▁popula ire ▁de ▁lib ération ▁were ▁arrested ▁and ▁tort ured . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁fifteen ▁students , ▁visit ing ▁from ▁their ▁studies ▁abroad ▁in ▁Paris , ▁were ▁sent enced ▁to ▁months ▁in ▁j ail ▁and ▁reported ly ▁tort ured ▁for ▁articles ▁written ▁by ▁their ▁student ▁union ▁in ▁France . ▁After ▁an ▁armed