Secrecy in trial of Witness K lawyer Bernard Collaery an offence against open justice: law council

Peak law body says secrecy laws invoked in Timor-Leste bugging case come at expense of the rights of the accused'

The nation's peak legal group has thrown its support behind Bernard Collaery as he defends the Timor-Leste spying case, warning that laws used to shroud proceedings are protecting broadly defined national security at the expense of the rights of the accused".

Collaery, a barrister and former ACT attorney-general, is facing jail for allegedly helping his client, intelligence officer Witness K, reveal information about Australia's bugging of Timor-Leste government offices to gain the upper hand during oil and gas negotiations in 2004.