'Trials in absentia' in document 'Marshall Islands - Rules of Criminal Procedure'

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RELEVANT SECTIONS OF THE IMPLEMENTING LEGISLATION

TITLE IX. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Rule 43. Defendant's Presence

(b) When Not Required. A defendant need not be present under any of the following circumstances :

(1) Organizational Defendant. The defendant is an organization represented by counsel who is present.

(2) Misdemeanor Offense. The offense is punishable by fine or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both, and with the defendant's written consent, the court permits arraignment, plea, trial, and sentencing to occur in the defendant's absence.

TITLE IX. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Rule 43. Defendant's Presence

(c) Waiving Continued Presence.

(1) In General. A defendant who was initially present at arraignment, or whose appearance at the arraignment was waived under Rule 10, waives the right to be present under the following circumstances :

(A) when the defendant is voluntarily absent during trial, regardless of whether the court informed the defendant that failure to appear after arraignment may be deemed a waiver or forfeiture of the right to be present during the trial and that the trial will continue in the defendant's absence ;
(B) when the defendant is voluntarily absent during sentencing ; or
(C) when the court warns the defendant that it will remove the defendant from the courtroom for disruptive behavior, but the defendant persists in conduct that justifies removal from the courtroom.

RELEVANT ROME STATUTE PROVISIONS

Article 63
Trial in the presence of the accused
1. The accused shall be present during the trial.

Article 67
Rights of the accused
1. In the determination of any charge, the accused shall be entitled to a public hearing, having regard to the provisions of this Statute, to a fair hearing conducted impartially, and to the following minimum guarantees, in full equality:
(a) To be informed promptly and in detail of the nature, cause and content of the charge, in a language which the accused fully understands and speaks;
(b) To have adequate time and facilities for the preparation of the defence and to communicate freely with counsel of the accused’s choosing in confidence;
(c) To be tried without undue delay;
(d) Subject to article 63, paragraph 2, to be present at the trial, to conduct the defence in person or through legal assistance of the accused’s choosing, to be informed, if the accused does not have legal assistance, of this right and to have legal assistance assigned by the Court in any case where the interests of justice so require, and without payment if the accused lacks sufficient means to pay for it;
(e) To examine, or have examined, the witnesses against him or her and to obtain the attendance and examination of witnesses on his or her behalf under the same conditions as witnesses against him or her. The accused shall also be entitled to raise defences and to present other evidence admissible under this Statute;
(f) To have, free of any cost, the assistance of a competent interpreter and such translations as are necessary to meet the requirements of fairness, if any of the proceedings of or documents presented to the Court are not in a language which the accused fully understands and speaks;
(g) Not to be compelled to testify or to confess guilt and to remain silent, without such silence being a consideration in the determination of guilt or innocence;
(h) To make an unsworn oral or written statement in his or her defence; and
(i) Not to have imposed on him or her any reversal of the burden of proof or any onus of rebuttal.
2. In addition to any other disclosure provided for in this Statute, the Prosecutor shall, as soon as practicable, disclose to the defence evidence in the Prosecutor’s possession or control which he or she believes shows or tends to show the innocence of the accused, or to mitigate the guilt of the accused, or which may affect the credibility of prosecution evidence. In case of doubt as to the application of this paragraph, the Court shall decide.