South African Court Hears Complaints Over Request to Close Nuclear Smuggling Trial to Media

Media groups yesterday protested an attempt by South African prosecutors to keep a trial of suspected nuclear smugglers closed to the public, the South African Business Day reported (see GSN, April 3).

South Africa’s High Court convened yesterday to hear arguments on keeping media out of the trial of two men — Swiss citizen Daniel Geiges and German citizen Gerhard Wisser —charged with violating South African nuclear export control laws. 

Their trial is set to begin in July, and court officials have not yet ruled on whether to shutter the proceedings.  Prosecutors have argued that media coverage could release information that would harm national and international security, according to Business Day.

Both the South African and U.S. energy departments have asked the court to protect the identities of their expert witnesses because they could become terrorists targets.

“Even in the 1980s where witnesses were being killed, our courts consistently declined an order that is being sought here,” said Gilbert Marcus, an attorney representing media groups (Ernest Mabuza, Business Day, May 3).

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