24 Mar The ICJ’s Cone of Silence
The ICJ is holding witness testimony this week in its ongoing public hearings on the Application of the Genocide Convention to Serbia and Montenegro. As the ICJ’s press release points out, there have only been nine cases involving witness testimony in the ICJ’s entire 50-plus year history, so this is a rare event.
It is also semi-removed from public scrutiny. Apparently, the hearings are “public” but anyone attending is not allowed to report on what’s going on until the hearings end on Tuesday. On that day, everything will be put on the Internet. I have to admit that I don’t get it. If there is some question of secrecy, then why release it on Tuesday? If there is no question of secrecy, why sequester until Tuesday? But maybe I’m missing something.
ICJ said they would hold secrecy until Tuesday because that’s when witness testimony will end. Issue wasn’t absolute secrecy of the testimony, just the need to avoid contaminating the testimony of remaining witnesses.