Plans for hidden justice draw flak in parliament

London: Plans to create a new generation of secret courts were dealt yesterday a severe blow when parliament's human rights committee condemned them as unnecessary, unfair and potentially damaging to public confidence in both government and the judicial system.

National security risk

In a damning report, the joint committee on human rights, made up of MPs and peers, also dismissed the government's argument for secret justice as being based on "spurious" claims that the current justice system puts national security at risk. Publication of the report came as deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, under pressure from his Liberal Democrat MPs, insisted that legislation to extend the powers of the intelligence agencies to monitor the public's emails, telephone calls and social media communications would be published in draft so it could be properly debated before a bill was pushed through parliament.

The courtroom secrecy proposals a response to the public airing of evidence during litigation brought on behalf of Binyam Mohammad and other former inmates of the Guantanamo Bay detention centre would allow ministers to decide what material can be concealed from the public, the media and even claimants during civil trials.

Justice Secretary Ken Clarke argues that because some evidence disclosed in those cases was based on material supplied by the CIA, greater secrecy is needed to protect the control principle, which allows governments to determine how their intelligence is disseminated.

— The Guardian News & Media Ltd