Accreditation procedure for the reading of the Advisory Opinion of the Court on Friday 9 July 2004
THE HAGUE, 25 June 2004. In view of the interest generated by this case, an online accreditation procedure has been established for media representatives. Special rules for coverage of the reading of the Courtâs Advisory Opinion will also apply. Please read them carefully before completing your online application for accreditation, so as to avoid any problems on arrival at the Court.
New: Online Accreditation Procedure
Media representatives wishing to cover the reading of the Advisory Opinion are asked to complete the online application for accreditation to be found on the home page of the Courtâs website (www.icj‑cij.org). Applications for accreditation must be submitted by not later than midnight on 1 July 2004. It will not be possible to obtain accreditation after that date. Only application forms submitted online will be considered. No account will be taken of forms sent by fax or post. In view of the limited space for the media in the temporary press centre, applications will be checked individually by the Courtâs Information Department and will receive an e‑mail response by 6 July 2004 at latest. Successful applicants will be notified by the Information Department of where and how to pick up their entry badges. Lost badges cannot be replaced.
New: Press Centre to open the day before the reading and to stay open until 11.30 p.m.
As media representatives will not be permitted access to the interior of the Peace Palace on 9 July 2004, a press centre will be available to them, as last February, on the premises of the Hague Academy of International Law, which is located in the Peace Palace grounds, to the left of the main building. The press centre will be open and operational on Thursday 8 July 2004 (from 3 p.m. to 11.30 p.m.) and on Friday 9 July 2004 (from 9.30 a.m. to 11.30 p.m.). The reading of the Advisory Opinion will be transmitted live to the centre on a large screen and can be followed through headsets in English and French. The centre will be equipped with work stations, electric power points, internet connections and telephone sockets. As sockets will have to be shared, it is recommended that you bring your own mobile phone.
Press centre facilities will include direct TV (PAL only) and radio feeds off the Courtâs audiovisual and audio systems, but access to these must be requested online in advance. Drinks and sandwiches will be on sale.
Interviews may be conducted in front of the press centre, at TV stand‑up positions or on the external Peace Palace steps, but under no circumstances in the press centre itself.
Access to the Peace Palace
So as to avoid long queues in front of the Palace on Friday 9 July 2004, media representatives are asked to present themselves at the gates not later than 1 p.m. In addition to their entry badge, they are requested to carry personal ID and, for journalists, their press card. Rigorous checks will be carried out. Only duly accredited individuals with valid identification will be allowed onto the Peace Palace site. Media representatives, with the exception of accredited pool photographers (see below), will not be permitted access to the interior of the Peace Palace. Media representatives should go either to the press centre or to the areas reserved for their use in front of the Palace.
TV stand‑up positions and satellite links
Fixed TV stand‑up positions will be permitted only in the reserved area on the lawn in front of the Peace Palace. These positions will be available on Thursday 8 July 2004 (from 3 p.m. to 11.30 p.m.) and on Friday 9 July 2004 (from 7 a.m. to 11.30 p.m.), and must have been requested online in advance. Filming will be permitted outside the Peace Palace building. Media representatives are kindly requested to avoid damage to the lawns and gardens.
In view of the very limited number of spaces for satellite vehicles within and around the site, it will be possible to reserve satellite facilities for playout uplink or live uplink by applying to the Eurovision Division of the Netherlands public broadcasting service (NOS), which will be present on‑site.
NOS‑Eurovision will be able to assist duly accredited television crews with technical information regarding the reservation of TV stand‑up positions and satellite links. Crews who have included in their online accreditation application a request for a TV stand‑up position and/or satellite link will automatically be contacted by NOS‑Eurovision once their accreditation has been confirmed. NOS‑Eurovision may be reached at: + 31 35 677 36 04 or + 31 35 677 32 98 (telephone), + 31 35 677 51 05 (facsimile) and eurovisie@rtv.nos.nl (e-mail).
Vehicle parking
No vehicle parking will be permitted within the Peace Palace grounds. Vehicles should be left in parking spaces (generally metered) in neighbouring streets. Exceptions may be authorized (on a case‑by‑case basis) for a limited number of satellite vehicles for live broadcasting; requests for such authorization must be included in the online application for accreditation. It will not be possible for vehicles to enter the Palace site solely for the purpose of unloading heavy equipment (cameras, editing equipment, etc.). Crews wishing to drop off material of this sort are requested to bring their own trolleys.
Accredited photography pool
A limited number of duly accredited photographers will be allowed to take still pictures in the Great Hall of Justice on 9 July 2004 solely between 2.45 p.m. and 3.15 p.m. They must present themselves in a group not later than 2.30 p.m. at the main entry door to the Peace Palace. From there, the group will be escorted to the Great Hall of Justice. They must keep to the right‑hand side of the Great Hall, as is the normal practice, and must leave the Hall, in a group, at 3.15 p.m., escorted by a member of the Courtâs Information Department.
Thank you for reading these instructions. You may now complete your application for accreditation online. Click on www.icj‑cij.org and then on the link âPress Accreditationâ.
For More Information Contact:
Mr. Arthur Witteveen,
First Secretary of the Court
tel.: + 31 70 302 23 36
and Mrs. Laurence Blairon and Mr. Boris Heim,
Information Officers,
tel.: + 31 70 302 23 37;
E‑mail: information@icj‑cij.org