The Use of Secret Evidence in Judicial Proceedings

by | Oct 24, 2011

A comparative survey prepared by Oxford Pro Bono Publico for the Joint Committee on Human Rights (October 2011)

Secret evidence, or evidence that is relied upon by the court without disclosure to one of the parties, has been used with increasing frequency in the United Kingdom over the past decade. The use of such closed material presents significant challenges in terms of the UK’s long-standing human rights obligations. On 19 October 2011 the Government published a Green Paper on Justice and Security that proposes reforms to the use of secret evidence. This Research Paper by Oxford Pro Bono Publico (OPBP) is intended to assist the Joint Committee of Human Rights (JCHR) in its scrutiny of the Government’s proposals in the Green Paper. In particular, the Research Paper aims to provide a more detailed comparative perspective on how secret evidence is treated across various jurisdictions. This will enable the JCHR to survey the different ways in which such evidence can be used, and the human rights implications of these uses.

You can read the full report below, or download it here.  In March 2012, OPBP produced a supplementary report on this project, which can be found here You can also browse all OPBP’s projects here.

Share this:

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Related Content

New book from Professor Frances Raday: ‘Economic Woman: Gendering Inequality in the Age of Capital’

New book from Professor Frances Raday: ‘Economic Woman: Gendering Inequality in the Age of Capital’

This book introduces Economic Woman, making her visible in duality with 'economic man' and calling for her ...
The Right to Strike: A Menace to Hardworking People or Fundamental Human Right? Prof Alan Bogg (Oxford University)

The Right to Strike: A Menace to Hardworking People or Fundamental Human Right? Prof Alan Bogg (Oxford University)

Watch webinar here. In this webinar Professor Alan Bogg (Dean of Graduate Studies (Research), Oxford University) ...
The Venice Academy of Human Rights-‘Backlash Against Human Rights?’

The Venice Academy of Human Rights-‘Backlash Against Human Rights?’

The Venice Academy of Human Rights will take place from 4-13 July 2016. The theme of this year’s academy ...