A. Coverage of public sittings
A.1. Accreditation
Media representatives are required to register in advance by completing the online accreditation form for the relevant ICJ public sitting(s) on the ICJ calendar.
A.2. Parking
No parking is allowed in the Peace Palace grounds. All vehicles should be parked in the neighbouring streets (most of which are metered). Media wishing to use satellite vehicles are requested to fill in the appropriate fields in the online accreditation form and follow the instructions provided by the Information Department.
A.3. Access to the ICJ courtroom
Owing to the limited number of seats available in the Great Hall of Justice, priority access is given to representatives of the States that are parties to the case, and members of the diplomatic corps. Journalists are invited to follow the sittings of the Court live from the press room.
A.4. Still photography and filming in the courtroom
Photographers and camera crews are permitted to enter the Great Hall for a few minutes (usually from 9.45 to 10.05 a.m. and/or from 2.45 to 3.05 p.m.) at the start of some sittings: on such occasions they are escorted by ICJ staff and must keep to the right-hand side of the room.
A.5. Press room
A press room with the following facilities is located on the ground floor of the Peace Palace:
- seating for approximately 30 people;
- live transmission of public sittings in French and English on a large screen;
- internet: shared WiFi and Ethernet access with limited upload capacity (reporters are invited to use their own mobile networks, or to bring their own Ethernet cables);
- TV outputs (ratio 16/9): HD-SDI (PAL) + SD-SDI (PAL) + SD-analogue (PAL) + SD-analogue (NTSC). SDI outputs include three embedded audio channels (Original/French/English). Other video outputs can be combined with our XLR audio outputs;
- audio outputs: XLR outputs;
- refreshments: the Peace Palace cafeteria (Refectorium) is open from 8.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. on days that the Court is holding public sittings.
A.6. Satellite trucks (SNG vans)
No parking is allowed in the Peace Palace grounds. All vehicles should be parked in the neighbouring streets (most of which are metered). Media wishing to use satellite vehicles are requested to fill in the appropriate fields in the online accreditation form and follow the instructions provided by the Information Department.
The Palace is not equipped with a generator to supply power to satellite trucks. There is a patch field which crews can use to link up to the Court’s audiovisual system (image ratio 16/9) and which offers multiple outputs (1080i HD-SDI (PAL) + SD-SDI (PAL) + SD-analogue (PAL) + SD-analogue (NTSC); our SDI outputs include three embedded audio channels (Original/French/English); other video outputs can be combined with our XLR audio outputs). This patch field is located to the right-hand side of the building (just outside the Great Hall of Justice). Media organizations should ensure that they have an adequate supply of power and cabling. The media’s attention is drawn to the fact that the layout of the site (size of the Palace, presence of trees, limited number of spaces) can sometimes cause problems with the transmission of satellite beams (especially southward). A diagram of the premises is available from the Information Department upon request.
A.7. Live interviews and interviews with the parties
Television crews wishing to conduct live interviews on the Palace premises are required to obtain prior approval from the Information Department, which can provide technical assistance. Representatives of States or organizations involved in proceedings before the Court do sometimes agree to speak to the press after public sittings. No interviews are to be conducted in the Great Hall of Justice. Journalists are kindly invited to conduct such interviews either in the Palace entrance hall or on the entrance staircase, being careful not to obstruct them.
B. Requests for interviews (Judges and Registrar)
The President, Members of the Court and the Registrar occasionally grant interviews concerning the history of the Court, the general way it operates or their specific duties. They never comment on pending cases. All requests for interviews should be submitted by e-mail to the Information Department ([email protected]) giving the name of the judge(s) and the main questions to be asked. Staff members of the Information Department are not authorized to grant interviews, but can provide journalists with general information on the work of the Court.
C. Free audiovisual material about the Court
The Court produces videos and still pictures of all its public sittings and various official events. A presentation video is also available in a large number of languages. Such material is made available to the press, schools and universities free of charge for editorial use (copyrights exempt).
D. Information Department (contact details)
Ms Monique Legerman, First Secretary of the Court, Head of Department: +31 (0)70 302 2336
Ms Joanne Moore, Information Officer: +31 (0)70 302 2337
Ms Anna Bonini, Associate Information Officer: +31 (0)70 302 2419
E-mail: [email protected]
Address: International Court of Justice, Peace Palace, Carnegieplein 2, 2517 KJ, The Hague, Netherlands