Prosecutor v. Karadžić Appeal Judgement - Practical Information for Media

The pronouncement of the Appeal Judgement in the case of Prosecutor v. Radovan Karadžić by the Appeals Chamber of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism) is scheduled for Wednesday, 20 March 2019 at 2:00 p.m. in Courtroom I of the Mechanism’s Hague branch.

Media accreditation

The accreditation procedure for media representatives wishing to attend the pronouncement of the Appeal Judgement is now closed.

Please note that standard accreditation passes will NOT be valid for entry to the Mechanism building on the day of the Appeal Judgement. The Mechanism will issue two different types of accreditation tickets for the representatives of the media: (i) to the public gallery of Courtroom I; or (ii) to the Mechanism main lobby / the World Forum Press Centre. Only a limited number of media representatives accredited for the Appeal Judgement will be granted access to the Mechanism’s Courtroom.

Please note that, due to operational reasons, the web broadcast of the pronouncement of the Appeal Judgement will now be streamed with a 30 minute delay.

The media accredited to the Courtroom or to the Mechanism main lobby/ the World Forum Press Centre may follow the live pronouncement of the Appeal Judgement from the Mechanism main lobby. However, the pronouncement of the Appeal Judgement at the World Forum will be streamed with a 30 minute delay.  While all accredited media wishing to enter the Mechanism main lobby to follow the proceedings live will be able to do so, please note that any recording of the live streaming inside the premises will be strictly prohibited.

Accredited media wishing to record the pronouncement of the judgement will be able to do so with a 30 minute delay from the Mechanism’s main lobby or the Press Centre at the World Forum.  Please note that there is only a limited number of feeds available at the lobby, however there are sufficient feeds available at the World Forum for all accredited media wishing to record the delayed broadcast.

The lobby and the Press Centre will be equipped with work spaces, power outlets and Wi-Fi connection. Journalists wishing to connect to the feeds for the delayed broadcast in the lobby or the Press Centre should bring compatible equipment and a BNC cable. The pronouncement of the Appeal Judgement will be broadcast in English and Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian, but the audio feed will be available in English, French and Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian.

Accredited media representatives will be notified by email of the type of accreditation they have been granted on Monday, 18 March 2019.

Journalists are required to pick up their accreditation tickets on Wednesday, 20 March 2019 between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. at the World Forum Press Centre, Churchillplein 10.

Due to limited resources, there will be limited capacity to support media representatives’ requests on the day.

Filming inside the Mechanism’s building

No filming is allowed inside the Mechanism’s building. Filming of the court proceedings is carried out by the Mechanism and an audio-visual feed will be distributed.

SNG vehicles

Limited space is available in the vicinity of the Mechanism building for SNG trucks. The Mechanism does not issue accreditations for SNG trucks and spaces are available on a first-come-first-served basis. Trucks parked in non-designated areas will be asked to move by the local authorities.

Limited break-out boxes for audio and video feeds are available with a 30 minute delay. However, media organisations must ensure that they have an adequate supply of cabling and power.

Security Procedures

Main Entrance

All persons entering the Mechanism building are subject to security checks of their person and belongings. No one is permitted access to the building without complying fully with the requirements of the Mechanism’s Security Officers. All members of the press must present their accreditation ticket, a valid press card, and a valid passport/ID with a photo at the entrance.

Access to the Press Centre

Persons with accreditation to access the Press Centre will not be allowed into the public gallery of the Courtroom. They will be allowed into the lobby of the Mechanism for the pronouncement of the Appeal Judgement.

Access to the Lobby

Persons with accreditation to access the lobby must remain within that area of the building and will not be allowed into the public gallery of the Courtroom. Any audio or video recording of the live streaming of the pronouncement of the Appeal Judgement on the Mechanism’s premises will be strictly prohibited.

Access to Public Gallery

Once inside the Mechanism building, persons who have been granted accreditation to access the public gallery of the Courtroom are required to pass through an additional security check. Persons will be required to show accreditations to both the building and public gallery. No electronic equipment whatsoever will be allowed into the Courtroom’s public gallery. Please do not carry mobile telephones, cameras or other electronic devices.

It is possible to leave these items with the Mechanism’s Security in the deposit boxes at the main entrance. If you use the Mechanism’s storage facilities, please plan for extra time to store your items and be reminded that the Mechanism shall not be liable for any loss or damage to any items or equipment.

Court Formalities

The Presiding Judge of the Appeals Chamber is responsible for the dignity and decorum of the Courtroom proceedings and may order that any person be removed from the public gallery at any time. The formal entry of the Judges will be announced by an usher who will ask all present to rise. All present will stand and remain standing until after the Judges have taken their seats. A similar procedure will be followed at the close or any adjournment of the proceedings. All present will be asked to remain standing until all Judges have left the Courtroom. For more information please refer to the IRMCT Rules of Decorum.

For further information please contact:

Spokesperson – Helena Eggleston
Tel: +31 70 512 5691; +31 6 11 92 37 43
or email egglestonh[at]un.org

External Relations office
Tel: +31 70 512 8613; 512-5759
or email mict-pres[at]un.org