What is a Public Hearing?
Public hearings are when the Inquiry considers evidence, examines facts and investigates what happened in order to make findings and recommendations.
Inquiries always have an independent chairperson, often a judge or former judge, appointed by a Government minister. The Chair of the Independent Inquiry relating to Afghanistan is Lord Justice Sir Charles Haddon-Cave.
During the hearings, the Inquiry calls witnesses to give evidence. Witnesses give evidence on oath and are questioned by the Counsel to the Inquiry. Counsel for Core Participants may ask questions in advance, with the Chair’s permission.
Attending Public Hearings:
If you would like to attend public hearings or receive information about upcoming hearings, please contact the Inquiry Communications team – pressenquiries@iia.independent-inquiry.uk.
Video and Transcripts
All OPEN hearings are streamed on the Inquiry’s YouTube Channel, subject to a 10 minute delay. A transcript of the hearing will be publish on the relevant hearing and phase page as soon as possible, usually within 24 hours. A feed is available for broadcaster , please contact the Inquiry Communications team for more information.
Reporting Guidance for Public Hearings
All media must comply with the Chair’s Restriction Order. The Chair will issue a Restriction Order for each phase of the Inquiries work which can be found here. Any information that is removed from the time-delayed feed and/or redacted from the transcript must not be repeated, disclosed or duplicated to any third party.
Attendees watching the proceedings from the court room are not permitted to live report on the content of the hearing due to the 10-minute delay. Those watching in the media annex are permitted to live report due to the feed being on a delay. Live reporting must comply with the Chair’s Restriction Order.
The Chair has the power to grant anonymity to witnesses and as such, the Restriction Order prevents the press and the public from publishing the names, or any information which might lead, to a ciphered witness’s identification. As set out in the Restriction Order, the High Court and the Court of Session have the power to imprison or fine anyone found in breach of a Restriction Order.
Filming Guidance
No broadcast or still cameras are permitted in the hearing room, and no other recording of any proceedings may be made. The Inquiry’s OPEN hearings take place at the Royal Courts of Justice and as such, no filming is permitted within the building, this includes photographs.
Witnesses
Any requests to interview or film the witness will be denied.