Public Hearing in the Light of International Instruments and National Law

Public hearing is one of the important guarantees in criminal proceedings which is emphasized in the Constitutions of several countries and different international instruments. This principle is also included in the Iranian Constitution and in the international Covenant on civil and political rights, approved by the Parliament, hence it has a remarkable place in our legal system. However, sometimes the Iranian legislator has not completely respected this essential principle, and restricted its scope. The present article aims to clarify the foundation and content of this principle and to show its limitations in Iranian law.