2010 ED] CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF SEYCHELLES [CAP 167   (8) Subject to a clause (9), all proceedings of every court and proceedings for the determination of the existence or extent of any civil right or obligation before any court or other authority, including the announcement of the decision of the court or other authority, shall be held in public. (9) Anything in clause (8) shall not prevent the court or other authority from excluding from the proceedings, except for the announcement of the decision of the court or other authority, persons other than the parties thereto, their legal representatives and legal practitioners to such extent as the court or other authority− (a) may by law be empowered so to do and may consider necessary in the circumstances where publicity would prejudice the interests of justice, or interlocutory proceedings, or in the interests of public morality, the welfare of persons under the age of eighteen years or the protection of the privacy of persons concerned in the proceedings; or (b) may by law be empowered or required to do so in interests of defence, public safety or public order. (10) Anything contained in or done under the authority of any law necessary in a democratic society shall not be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of− (a) clause (1), (2) (e) or (8), to the extent that the law in question makes necessary provision relating to the grounds of privilege or public policy on which evidence shall not be disclosed or witnesses are not competent or cannot be compelled to give evidence in any proceedings; (b) clause (2) (a), to the extent that the law in question imposes upon any person charged with an offence the burden of proving particular facts or declares that the proof of certain facts shall be prima facie the offence or of any element thereof;                                                                     23