Hi, everyone. This is a very interesting example. I guess I would take Irina's approach and try to illustrate the semantic issue behind the matter. I believe sometimes we may find ourselves in a position where sticking to the Interpreter's Code of Ethics and Conduct may not be the "right" thing to do (even though this might be very rare since these codes have been very well written), specially in situations where cultural and linguistic issues may blur the lines for actors in the court. I believe common sense goes a long way on this one, but I also think that interpreters are part and parcel of the legal system framework and, as such, we also have to keep our eyes peeled to the fact that our "clients" in the court (judges, prosecutors, public defenders, witnesses, defendants, etc) may not be aware of cultural implications for certain nationalities, and our job as interpreters is to clarify these issues, however tricky the task might be.
Cheers