KNO -v- Secretary of State for Defence (anonymity order)

Administrative CourtHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Case number: AC-2026-LON-000980

In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division
Administrative Court

In the matter of an application for judicial review

5 June 2026

Before:

The Hon. Mr Justice Bourne

Between:

The King
on the application of
KNO
(Claimant)

-v-

Secretary of State for Defence
(Defendant)

Order

On an application by the Claimant for permission to amend his claim, expedition and anonymity

Following consideration of the documents lodged by the Claimant

ORDER BY THE HON. MR JUSTICE BOURNE

  1. Application for permission to amend

(a) The Claimant has permission to make the amendments to his claim set out in the application.

(b) The Defendant will file amended summary grounds within 14 days of service of this order.

(c) Any reply under CPR 54.8A to the amended summary grounds must be filed within 7 days after service of the amended summary grounds.

(d) The permission application will be considered on the papers as soon as possible after expiry of the deadline in (c) above.

  1. Anonymity:

(a) Pursuant to CPR 39.2(4) and/or the Court’s inherent jurisdiction and/or s. 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998:

(i) the Claimant’s name is to be withheld from the public and must not be disclosed in any proceedings in public; and

(ii) the Claimant is to be referred to orally and in writing as KNO.

(b) Pursuant to s. 11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981, there must be no publication of the identity of the Claimant or of any matter likely to lead to the identification of the Claimant in any report of, or otherwise in connection with, these proceedings.

(c) Pursuant to CPR 5.4C(4):

(i) the parties must within 7 days file a redacted copy of any statement of case filed, omitting the name, address and any other information likely to lead to the identification of the Claimant;

(ii) if any statement of case subsequently filed includes information likely to lead to the identification of the Claimant, a redacted copy omitting that information must be filed at the same time;

(iii) unless the Court grants permission under CPR 5.4C(6), no non-party many obtain a copy of any unredacted statement of case.

(d) Any person wishing to vary or discharge this Order must make an application, served on each party.

  1. Application for expedition:

(a) A degree of expedition is provided under 1(d) above, and otherwise the application for expedition will be considered with the application for permission.

  1. Costs:

(a) Costs reserved.

REASONS

  1. Amendment: The Claimant has at all material times indicated his intention to amend his claim in this way and it is in the interests of justice for the real issues between the parties to be considered by the Court. There is no prejudice to the Defendant in permitting the amendment.
  2. Anonymity: There is evidence that naming the Claimant will increase the risk faced by him in Afghanistan. There are accordingly compelling reasons for the limited derogations from the principle of open justice in paragraph 1.
  3. Expedition: In view of the risk which the Claimant claims to face in Afghanistan, it is appropriate for the amended permission claim to be considered as soon as possible. This case may however be no more urgent than many other ARAP cases and, if permission is granted, any further expedition will be a matter to be considered by the Judge who makes the grant.

Signed: MR JUSTICE BOURNE
Date: 5 June 2026