Right to appeal Rule 75(G) decisions

Notion(s) Filing Case
Decision on Clarification - 20.06.2008 NIYITEGEKA Eliézer
(ICTR-96-14-R75)

Eliézer Niyitegeka filed a motion for review before the Appeals Chamber, requesting the Appeals Chamber, inter alia, to admit excerpts of closed session transcripts from other cases to which he had not been granted access. The Appeals Chamber declined to examine those excerpts “obtained in direct violation of Trial Chambers’ orders”.[1] Following the Appeals Chamber’s decision, Eliézer Niyitegeka requested access to the relevant closed session transcripts to the relevant Trial Chambers. His requests were denied, together with his requests for reconsideration and for certification of an appeal. Eliézer Niyitegeka then filed a motion for clarification before the Appeals Chamber.

14.     Rule 75(G) of the Rules, which allows for the possibility of seeking to rescind, vary, or augment protective measures ordered at trial does not provide for an appeal as of right, nor do the Rules address the issue of whether a decision rendered by a Trial Chamber after the close of trial and appeal proceedings is subject to appeal. However, because issues related to access to confidential material by a convicted person concern the important question of balance between the right of the convicted person to access potentially exculpatory material and the need to guarantee the protection of victims and witnesses,[5] the Appeals Chamber considers, proprio motu, that an applicant is entitled to challenge a decision by a Trial Chamber, pursuant to Rule 75(G) of the Rules, rendered after the close of trial and appeal proceedings before the Appeals Chamber.

[1] Eliézer Niyitegeka v. The Prosecutor, Case No. ICTR-96-14-R, Decision on Third Request for Review, 23 January 2008 (“Decision on Third Request for Review”), para. 9.

[2] Decision on Third Request for Review, para. 9, citing The Prosecutor v. Mikaeli Muhimana, Case No. ICTR-95-1B-T, Decision on Defence Motion for Protective Measures for Defence Witnesses, 6 July 2004 and The Prosecutor v. Édouard Karemera et al., Case No. ICTR-98-44-R75, Order on Protective Measures for Prosecution Witnesses, 10 December 2004.

[3] Decision on Third Request for Review, para. 9.

[4] See Prosecutor v. Josip Jović, Case No. IT-95-14 & 14/2-R77-A, Judgement, 15 March 2007, para. 22; Prosecutor v. Ivica Marijačić and Markica Rebić, Case No. IT-95-14-R77.2-A, Judgement, 27 September 2006, para. 24.

[5] Cf. Prosecutor v. Enver Had‘ihasanović et al., Case No. IT-01-47-AR73, Decision on Application for Leave to Appeal, 1 February 2002, p. 2. 

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