International Criminal Courts and the Right to Information

Transparency of criminal proceedings is enshrined in international human rights instruments and the statutes of international criminal courts and tribunals. It is one of the fundamental rights of the accused and also a right of the public to be informed about the work of international judicial institutions. This article considers the rights at issue and looks at how international courts have discharged their duty to provide information to those interested in their work. It discusses freedom of information and what it means to conduct public trials at the international level. It analyses the public's right to know and how it should apply to international judicial institutions. The article provides concrete proposals for measures that could be adopted to ensure full compliance with the freedom of information guarantees.