By Thomas Verfuss
Reporting on trials at the International Criminal Court at The Hague, Netherlands, is a huge challenge for African journalists. Few can afford to travel to The Hague, let alone stay in the city for the duration of the trial.
Journalists from ICC situation countries in Africa have had to rely on the international media or the court’s unreliable online web-streaming in an environment with poor Internet connectivity. Journalists For Justice (JFJ) has been supporting African journalists to travel to the ICC to cover cases affecting their countries.
Dutchbuzz media highlighted the challenges African journalists face in reporting the cases at the ICC through this conversation JFJ’s Thomas Verfuss, had with two Ivorian journalists on their experiences reporting in reporting the trial of former Cote d’Ivoire’s president Laurent Gbagbo and his youth leader Charles Blé Goudé, who have been on trial since January 28, 2016.
Gbagbo is the first former head of state to be tried at the ICC where he is facing four crimes against humanity charges allegedly committed in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, between December 16, 2010 and April 12, 2011. The crimes include murder, rape, other inhumane acts alternative attempted murder and persecution.
Blé Goudé is also facing four charges of crimes against humanity and the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I confirmed that there was substantive evidence to establish his individual criminal responsibility, as an indirect co-perpetrator or contributor to the commission of crimes such as murder, rape, other inhumane acts alternative attempted murder and persecution.
Here is an audio recording of the conversation:
