77. 的确，传唤证人的权利不是一项绝对权利。但是，正如人权事务委员会在关于在法庭和裁判所前一律平等和获得公正审判的权利问题的第 32 号一般性意见(2007 年)当中所指出的那样，存在着一项严格的义务，即尊重“让那些与辩护有关的证人出庭，并在审判的某个阶段有适当机会讯问和反驳反方证人的权利”(第 39 段)。在本案当中，Mahloof 先生律师的传唤证人要求遭到拒绝。如此全然拒绝允许任何证人代表辩方应传唤出庭，带有严重剥夺诉讼过程中的手段平等权利的特征，实际上违反了《公约》第十四条第三款(戊)项。
77. It is true that the right to call witnesses is not an absolute right. However, as the Human Rights Committee stated in its general comment No. 32 (2007) on the right to equality before courts and tribunals and to a fair trial, there is a strict obligation to respect the “right to have witnesses admitted that are relevant for the defence, and to be given a proper opportunity to question and challenge witnesses against them at some stage of the proceedings” (para. 39). In the present case, the request by Mr. Mahloof’s lawyer to call witnesses was denied and such a blanket refusal to allow any witnesses to be called on behalf of the defence bears the hallmarks of a serious denial of equality of arms in the proceedings and is in fact a violation of article 14 (3) (e) of the Covenant.