Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Fateme Mirakhorli ¹
• Ahmadreza Tohidi ²

¹ , PhD student in Public International Law, faculty of law, University of Qom, Qom, Iran

² Associate Prof. of Department of International law, Faculty of Law, University of Qom, Qom, Iran

Abstract

The digital transformation of international dispute resolution mechanisms has accelerated markedly in recent years. While virtual hearings were not unprecedented, the COVID-19 pandemic compelled international courts and tribunals to transcend conventional procedural models to prevent undue delays in adjudication.

This article adopts a descriptive-analytical methodology grounded in doctrinal legal research to examine whether the right to an in-person hearing is recognized under the procedural regimes of international judiciary bodies. It interrogates the evolving judicial attitudes toward the principle of physical presence in hearings and assesses the extent to which such a principle is embedded in the normative frameworks of international proceedings.

The findings suggest that, although the right to a physical hearing is not explicitly codified in the statutes or procedural rules of most international courts and tribunals, the overarching principles of procedural fairness, equality of arms, and the right to be heard remain central to the administration of justice. In light of recent jurisprudential and institutional practice, the continued use of virtual or hybrid hearings is increasingly regarded not only as a pragmatic response to global exigencies, but also as a necessary evolution in the delivery of international justice.

Keywords

• Virtual Hearings
• Remote Hearings
• International Judicial Proceedings
• Settlement of International Disputes
• International Judicial Bodies

Main Subjects

• International Law