The charter of the International Military Tribunal was drawn up in recognition of the problems of evidence which would be encountered in the Trial. The broadest latitude was established for the admissibility of evidence.
Evidence is admissible if it is relevant.
It shall adopt and apply to the greatest possible extent expeditious and non-technical procedure, and shall admit. The charter likewise places a special duty on the Tribunal to expedite the proceedings, and in particular, to exclude irrelevant material. The Tribunal, it will be noted, is not only authorized to receive in evidence any matter which it deems relevant. The Tribunal is clearly empowered under Article 18 to exclude evidence even if relevant, when the Tribunal believes that such evidence is cumulative or that its introduction would involve undue delay in the proceedings. Other provisions of the Charter also relate to the question of presenting evidence.