For the first time on Sunday, the court security service required visitors to sign a pledge before entering a High Court of Justice hearing. The requirement was applied to citizens who had previously disrupted hearings and been removed from court sessions, after their names were recorded in internal security reports.
The document, titled "Pledge to Maintain Order in the Court Hearing and Public Order in the Court," says the signer acknowledges that disrupting a hearing may be considered a criminal offense or lead to contempt of court proceedings. Security officials said the visitors would only be allowed into the session after signing.
The affected citizens had come to a hearing on the law governing the committee for selecting judges. According to the court security service, the measure is being used for the first time, but is expected to continue in other sensitive hearings in the future.
The Movement for Governance and Democracy later protested to the court administration, arguing that the new procedure erodes the principle of open hearings. The group also criticized the demand that visitors disclose personal details and sign a commitment as a condition for entry, and asked for clarification on the legal authority for the procedure and how visitors' privacy will be protected.
