A
secret trial is a
trial that is not
open to the public, nor generally reported in the news, especially any in-trial proceedings. Generally no official record of the case or the judge's
verdict is made available. Often there is no
indictment. The accused is usually not able to obtain the counsel of an
attorney or confront witnesses for the
prosecution, and the proceedings are characterized by a perceived
miscarriage of justice to the benefit of the ruling powers of the
society.