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Date of Publication: 17 April 2007

Although the Nuremberg and Tokyo Trials had a great influence on the development of substantive international criminal law, they did not pay attention to the protection of witnesses. Provisions concerning witnesses were limited to the procedural aspects of the respective Military Tribunals (to summon witnesses; to require their attendance and testimony and to administer oaths to witnesses) and of the Prosecution and Defence (to interrogate and cross-examine witnesses).l As a matter of fact, these multinational Tribunals saw more value in the "document books" accompanied by explanatory briefs presented to the court, than in witness testimonies which had to be avoided whenever possible.

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