# Who has the right to Secrecy?

##### <s><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Privacy</span></s><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> vs. Secrecy?</span>

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">In the Western countries we no longer even dare to utter the word secrets; it is sanitized to a much lesser meaning namely the Privacy. </span>

**Rewind**<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">: We as the ordinary people in order to remain an identifiable people we need to conceal secrets! </span>

##### <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Conspectus</span>

<p class="callout info"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The corporations have the right to keep secrets. \[1\]</span></p>

<p class="callout info"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The banks have the right to keep secrets. \[2\]</span></p>

<p class="callout info"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The law enforcement has the right to keep secrets. \[3\] </span></p>

<p class="callout info"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The military has the right to keep secrets. \[4\]</span></p>

<p class="callout info"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The government has the right to keep secrets. \[5\]</span></p>

<p class="callout info"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The courts have the right to keep secrets. \[6\]</span></p>

<p class="callout danger">***Taboo***<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">: Yet the ordinary peoples are criminals if express the slightest desire to keep secrets.</span></p>

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The law enforcement has the right to investigate our secrets, by legislated means, in case we are suspected of committing crimes. There is no contradiction here and nothing sinister; this is a diametric human dynamic that can never be dispensed with as you cannot dispense with your heart or your lungs! </span>

> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">A society free of such obverse dynamic is either a utopia or a dystopia. Former inhabited by angels and the latter exclusive domain of ghouls. Human history has never recorded such realms. </span>

> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">At this time it is the ordinary people that are being surveilled, yet our transgressions pale in comparison to those of the elites'!</span>

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">If we dispense with the right to secrecy, then the super rich and their lofty black budget financed intelligence agencies reign supreme and at a moment's whim swat us like insects! And this is happening at the time of writing these words.</span>

> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Privacy is meaningless today, manufactured overseas by foreign others who are actively engaged in enslaving us, in a variety of shapes and styles;</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(251, 238, 184);"> secrecy, on the other hand, has one and only one meaning and no other meaning</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">! </span>

<p class="callout danger"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">We are all latent criminals unless super rich or elected government officials!</span></p>

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">\[1\] </span>**Organizations**<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, ranging from multi-national for profit </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">corporations</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporation "Corporation")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> to nonprofit </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">charities</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charities "Charities")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, keep secrets for </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">competitive advantage</span>](https://www.ijaiem.org/volume2issue12/IJAIEM-2013-12-04-004.pdf)<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, to meet legal requirements, or, in some cases, to conceal nefarious behavior. New products under development, unique manufacturing techniques, or simply lists of customers are types of information protected by </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">trade secret</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade_secret "Trade secret")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> laws.</span>

> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Research on corporate secrecy has studied the factors supporting secret organizations.</span>[<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript">\[6\]</span></sup>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secrecy#cite_note-6)<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> In particular, scholars in economics and management have paid attention to the way firms participating in </span>**cartels**<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> work together to maintain secrecy and conceal their activities from antitrust authorities.</span>[<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript">\[7\]</span></sup>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secrecy#cite_note-7)<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> The diversity of the participants (in terms of age and size of the firms) influences their ability to coordinate to avoid being detected.</span>

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">patent</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patent "Patent")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> system encourages inventors to publish information in exchange for a limited time </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">monopoly</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monopoly "Monopoly")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> on its use, though patent applications are initially secret. </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Secret societies</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_society "Secret society")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> use secrecy as a way to attract members by creating a sense of importance.</span>[<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript">\[8\]</span></sup>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secrecy#cite_note-8)

[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Shell companies</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shell_corporation "Shell corporation")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> may be used to launder money from criminal activity, to finance terrorism, or to evade taxes. Registers of </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">beneficial ownership</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beneficial_ownership "Beneficial ownership")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> aim at fighting corporate secrecy in that sense.</span>[<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript">\[9\]</span></sup>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secrecy#cite_note-9)

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Other laws </span>*require*<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> organizations to keep certain information secret, such as </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">medical records</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_record "Medical record")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> (</span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">HIPAA</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_Insurance_Portability_and_Accountability_Act "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> in the U.S.), or </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">financial reports</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_report "Financial report")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> that are under preparation (to limit </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">insider trading</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insider_trading "Insider trading")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">). Europe has particularly strict laws about </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">database</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Database "Database")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> privacy.</span>[<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript">\[10\]</span></sup>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secrecy#cite_note-10)<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript"> </span></sup>

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">\[2\] </span>**Banking secrecy**<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">,</span>[<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript">\[1\]</span></sup>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_secrecy#cite_note-1)[<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript">\[2\]</span></sup>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_secrecy#cite_note-2)<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> alternatively known as </span>**financial privacy**<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, </span>**banking discretion**<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, or </span>**bank safety**<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">,</span>[<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript">\[3\]</span></sup>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_secrecy#cite_note-:02-3)[<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript">\[4\]</span></sup>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_secrecy#cite_note-4)<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> is a </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">conditional agreement</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-disclosure_agreement "Non-disclosure agreement")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> between a bank and its clients that all foregoing activities remain secure, </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">confidential</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confidentiality "Confidentiality")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, and private.</span>[<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript">\[5\]</span></sup>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_secrecy#cite_note-5)<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Most often associated with </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">banking in Switzerland</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banking_in_Switzerland "Banking in Switzerland")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, banking secrecy is prevalent in </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Luxembourg</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxembourg "Luxembourg")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Monaco</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monaco "Monaco")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Hong Kong</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong "Hong Kong")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Singapore</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore "Singapore")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Ireland</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland "Ireland")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, and </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Lebanon</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanon "Lebanon")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, among other </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">off-shore banking institutions</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offshore_bank "Offshore bank")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">.</span>

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Otherwise known as </span>**bank–client confidentiality**<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> or </span>**banker–client privilege**<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">,</span>[<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript">\[6\]</span></sup>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_secrecy#cite_note-:17-6)[<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript">\[7\]</span></sup>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_secrecy#cite_note-:45-7)<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> the practice was started by </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Italian merchants</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italians "Italians")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> during the 1600s near </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Northern Italy</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Italy "Northern Italy")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> (a region that would become the </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Italian-speaking region</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_Italian "Swiss Italian")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> of Switzerland).</span>[<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript">\[8\]</span></sup>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_secrecy#cite_note-8)<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Geneva bankers established secrecy</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banking_in_Switzerland#Banking_secrecy "Banking in Switzerland")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> socially and through civil law in the </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">French-speaking region</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_French "Swiss French")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> during the 1700s. </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Swiss</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerland "Switzerland")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> banking secrecy was first codified with the </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Banking Act of 1934</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Act_on_Banks_and_Savings_Banks "Federal Act on Banks and Savings Banks")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, thus making it a crime to disclose client information to third parties without a client's consent. The law, coupled with a stable Swiss currency and international neutrality, prompted large capital flight to private Swiss accounts.</span>

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">\[3\] </span>**Surveillance**<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> is the systematic observation and monitoring of a person, </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">population</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Population_(human_biology) "Population (human biology)")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, or location, with the purpose of information-gathering, influencing, </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">managing</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Managing "Managing")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, or directing.</span>[<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript">\[1\]</span></sup>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surveillance#cite_note-1)[<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript">\[2\]</span></sup>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surveillance#cite_note-2)

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">It is widely used by </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">governments</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government "Government")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> for a variety of reasons, such as </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">law enforcement</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_enforcement "Law enforcement")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">national security</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_security "National security")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, and information awareness. It can also be used as a tactic by persons who are not working on behalf of a government, such as by criminal organizations to plan and commit crimes, and by businesses to </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">gather intelligence</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_espionage "Industrial espionage")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> on criminals, their competitors, suppliers or customers. </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Religious organizations</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_organization "Religious organization")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> charged with detecting </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">heresy</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heresy "Heresy")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> and </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">heterodoxy</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heterodoxy "Heterodoxy")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> may also carry out surveillance.</span>[<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript">\[3\]</span></sup>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surveillance#cite_note-3)<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Various kinds of </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">auditors</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auditor "Auditor")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> carry out a form of surveillance.</span>[<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript">\[4\]</span></sup>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surveillance#cite_note-4)

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Surveillance is done in a variety of methods, such as </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">human interaction</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_intelligence_(intelligence_gathering) "Human intelligence (intelligence gathering)")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">postal interception</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postal_interception "Postal interception")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">closed-circuit television</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closed-circuit_television "Closed-circuit television")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> (CCTV) cameras, </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">wiretapping</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiretapping "Wiretapping")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, and </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">data mining</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_mining "Data mining")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">.</span>

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Surveillance can unjustifiably violate people's </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">privacy</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privacy "Privacy")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> and is often criticized by </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">civil liberties</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_liberties "Civil liberties")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> activists.</span>[<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript">\[5\]</span></sup>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surveillance#cite_note-5)<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Democracies</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracies "Democracies")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> may have laws that seek to restrict governmental and private use of surveillance, whereas </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">authoritarian</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authoritarian "Authoritarian")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> governments seldom have any domestic restrictions. Increasingly, government and intelligence agencies have conducted surveillance by obtaining </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">consumer data</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customer_data "Customer data")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> through the purchase of online information.</span>[<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript">\[6\]</span></sup>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surveillance#cite_note-6)<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Improvements in the technology available to governments have led to </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">mass surveillance</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_surveillance "Mass surveillance")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> and </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">global surveillance</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_surveillance "Global surveillance")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">.</span>

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">\[4\] </span>**Military secrecy** <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">is the concealing of information about martial affairs that is purposely not made available to the general public and hence to any enemy, in order to gain an advantage or to not reveal a weakness, to avoid </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">embarrassment</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embarrassment "Embarrassment")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, or to help in </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">propaganda</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda "Propaganda")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> efforts. Most military secrets are tactical in nature, such as the strengths and weaknesses of </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">weapon systems</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weapon_system "Weapon system")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">tactics</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_tactics "Military tactics")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, training methods, plans, and the number and location of specific weapons. Some secrets involve information in broader areas, such as secure communications, </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">cryptography</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptography "Cryptography")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, intelligence operations, and cooperation with third parties.</span>[<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript">\[12\]</span></sup>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secrecy#cite_note-12)

[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">US Government</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_government_of_the_United_States "Federal government of the United States")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> rights in regard to military secrecy were uphold in the </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">landmark legal case</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landmark_case "Landmark case")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> of </span>[*United States v. Reynolds*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Reynolds "United States v. Reynolds")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, decided by the </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Supreme Court</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States "Supreme Court of the United States")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> in 1953.</span>[<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript">\[13\]</span></sup>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secrecy#cite_note-13)

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">\[5\] </span>[**Governments**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government "Government") **often attempt to conceal information**<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> from other governments and the public. These state secrets can include </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">weapon</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weapon "Weapon")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> designs, military plans, </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">diplomatic</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplomacy "Diplomacy")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">negotiation</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negotiation "Negotiation")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> tactics, and secrets obtained illicitly from others ("</span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">intelligence</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligence_(information_gathering) "Intelligence (information gathering)")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">"). Most nations have some form of </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Official Secrets Act</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_Secrets_Act "Official Secrets Act")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> (the </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Espionage Act</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espionage_Act "Espionage Act")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> in the U.S.) and classify material according to the level of protection needed (hence the term "</span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">classified information</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classified_information "Classified information")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">"). An individual needs a </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">security clearance</span>](http://mdod.maryland.gov/employment/Documents/job%20seeker%20documents/Security%20Clearance%2004.18.10.pdf)<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> for access and other protection methods, such as keeping documents in a </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">safe</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safe "Safe")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, are stipulated.</span>[<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript">\[4\]</span></sup>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secrecy#cite_note-4)

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Few people dispute the desirability of keeping </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Critical Nuclear Weapon Design Information</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_Nuclear_Weapon_Design_Information "Critical Nuclear Weapon Design Information")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> secret, but many believe government secrecy to be excessive and too often employed for political purposes. Many countries have laws that attempt to limit government secrecy, such as the U.S. </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Freedom of Information Act</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_Information_Act_(United_States) "Freedom of Information Act (United States)")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> and </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">sunshine laws</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshine_law "Sunshine law")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">. Government officials sometimes </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">leak</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_leak "Political leak")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> information they are supposed to keep secret. (</span>*For a recent (2005) example, see* [*Plame affair*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plame_affair "Plame affair")*.*<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">)</span>[<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript">\[5\]</span></sup>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secrecy#cite_note-5)

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Secrecy in elections is a growing issue, particularly secrecy of vote counts on computerized vote counting machines. While voting, citizens are acting in a unique sovereign or "owner" capacity (instead of being a subject of the laws, as is true outside of elections) in selecting their government servants. It is argued that secrecy is impermissible as against the public in the area of elections where the government gets all of its power and taxing authority. In any event, permissible secrecy varies significantly with the context involved.</span>

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">\[6\] </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">A</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span>**secret trial**<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">is a</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">trial</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trial_(law) "Trial (law)")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">that is not</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">open to the public</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_trial "Public trial")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">or generally reported in the news, especially any in-trial proceedings. Generally, no official record of the case or the judge's</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">verdict</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verdict "Verdict")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">is made available. Often there is no</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">indictment</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indictment "Indictment")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">. Secret trials have been characteristic of many dictatorships in the modern era, but are also used in many democratic nations, with the explanation of being necessary for national security. They are a hotly debated topic in many circles, but are generally accepted in the Western world as they are seen as protecting the "</span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">greater good</span>](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/greater_good "wiktionary:greater good")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">".</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span>

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">In the United Kingdom, one of the most notorious secret courts was the </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Star Chamber</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Chamber "Star Chamber")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> under King </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Charles I of England</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_I_of_England "Charles I of England")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> in the early 17th century. The abuses of the Star Chamber were one of the rallying points of the opposition that organized around </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Oliver Cromwell</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Cromwell "Oliver Cromwell")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> and ultimately resulted in the </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">execution</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Execution_(legal) "Execution (legal)")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> of the deposed king. The term "star chamber" became a generalized term for a court that was accountable to no one (except the chief executive) and was used to suppress </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">political dissent</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_dissent "Political dissent")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> or eliminate the enemies of the regime.</span>

[*R v Incedal and Rarmoul-Bouhadjar*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R_v_Incedal_and_Rarmoul-Bouhadjar "R v Incedal and Rarmoul-Bouhadjar")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> (2014) was to be the first British terrorism trial to be held entirely in secret.</span>[<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript">\[4\]</span></sup>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_trial#cite_note-4)<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> However, the Court of Appeal blocked full secrecy.</span>[<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript">\[5\]</span></sup>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_trial#cite_note-5)

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">FISA Courts</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Foreign_Intelligence_Surveillance_Court "United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">of the national intelligence apparatus are by design secret courts and are empowered by the</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_Intelligence_Surveillance_Act "Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">of 1978 to conduct secret trials and to impose secret punishments. Counsel arguing in the court are also subject to a secrecy order against disclosure of information about any cases in front of the court. Individuals who have been targeted in the court are also subjected to secrecy orders. The court sits</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span>[*ex parte*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ex_parte "Ex parte")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, in the absence of anyone but the judge and the government present at the hearings. That, combined with the minimal number of requests that are rejected by the court, has led experts to characterize it as a</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">rubber stamp</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_stamp_(politics) "Rubber stamp (politics)")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">; the former</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">National Security Agency</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Security_Agency "National Security Agency")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">analyst</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Russ Tice</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russ_Tice "Russ Tice")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">called it a "</span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">kangaroo court</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangaroo_court "Kangaroo court")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">with a rubber stamp".</span>[<sup style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="editor-theme-superscript">\[6\]</span></sup>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_trial#cite_note-tice-6)

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Although the</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Great Purges</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Purges "Great Purges")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">in the</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Soviet Union</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union "Soviet Union")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">under</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Joseph Stalin</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Stalin "Joseph Stalin")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">are best remembered for the</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Moscow Trials</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_Trials "Moscow Trials")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">,</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">show trials</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Show_trials "Show trials")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">in which the court became a parody of justice, most of the victims of the Terror were tried in secret.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Mikhail Tukhachevsky</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Tukhachevsky "Mikhail Tukhachevsky")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">and his fellow</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Red Army</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Army "Red Army")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">officers were tried in secret by a</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">military tribunal</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_tribunal "Military tribunal")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, and their executions were announced only after the fact. The presiding judge of the Moscow Trials,</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span>[<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Vasili Ulrikh</span>](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasili_Ulrikh "Vasili Ulrikh")<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, also presided over large numbers of secret trials, lasting only a few minutes, in which he would quickly speak his way through a pre-formulated charge and verdict.</span>

© 2012-Present CCN Studios Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial- ShareAlike 4.0 International Public License