Media plays an important role for the Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC). With the proceedings of the KSC relocated, the people most affected by its activities learn about the mandate and proceedings of the court mainly through media reports. The KSC aims at facilitating media reporting on its activities for journalists based in The Hague as well as for journalists based in Kosovo and the region.
Media Queries
For media queries regarding the Specialist Chambers, please contact Ms. Angela Griep, KSC Spokesperson at [email protected], phone number: +31 (0)6 249 21 036. The same phone number is also reachable through Viber.
For questions related to the Specialist Prosecutor's Office (SPO), please contact Christopher Bennett, SPO Spokesperson at [email protected], phone number: +31 (0)634 101 350.
Press Releases and Media Advisories
To subscribe to the KSC Press Releases/Media Advisories distribution list, please contact the public information team at [email protected], or send a text message to +31 (0)6 249 21 036. The same phone number is also reachable through Viber. Previous press releases and news items can be found here.
Public Hearings
Unless the judge orders a private or closed session, hearings before the KSC are public, and visitors and journalists are welcome to attend. The dates and times of public hearings will be published on our website.
Journalists who would like to attend a public hearing are kindly requested to pre-register and announce their visit by contacting the Public Information team at [email protected] or by phone at +31 (0)6 24921036. The same number is also reachable on Viber. Please note that space in the public gallery is limited and the KSC can only allow for as many people as there are seats.
Please find more information on visits to the KSC including rules of conduct here.
Streaming of Public Hearings
Generally, the KSC streams public hearings through the KSC website with a delay of 45 minutes. Hearings are broadcast with a delay so that if the judge or panel of judges decides that information revealed during a public hearing should be treated as confidential, such information can be redacted prior to broadcast.
The web stream is available in all three languages of the KSC: Albanian, English and Serbian. The web stream can be accessed here.
Recordings of Public Hearings
Following a public hearing, the original recording will undergo a number of internal quality controls and other procedural steps leading to the official “public version” of the hearing, which will be available to journalists upon request.
Media are also free to record the web feed either directly online or at workstations in the media center of the KSC.
However, please note that court hearings may be redacted during the actual hearing (in-court redaction) or at a later stage in whole or in part (post-session redaction). Therefore when rebroadcasting, posting or otherwise making a public hearing available to the public, media are advised to ensure that they use the latest “public version” to avoid breaching confidentiality rules.
You can check whether a given recording has been subject to in-court or post-session redactions here. For rebroadcasting and posting you are advised to use the latest approved recording from the KSC YouTube channel to avoid breaching confidentiality rules.
Media Facilities at the KSC
In support of facilitating media reporting on KSC proceedings, the KSC premises include a media center and a press conference room, both located immediately beside the entrance to the public gallery. During public hearings, journalists can use the workstations at the media center. Both rooms have a screen that allows journalists to follow the delayed web stream of the hearing in any of the three languages of the court.
Press Conferences
Press conferences are simultaneously translated into all three languages of the court.
For press conferences at the KSC premises, journalists are kindly requested to get accreditation and announce their participation at [email protected].
For journalists in Kosovo or the region who would like to participate from abroad, the KSC will send a link for a live-stream or video conference. Journalists abroad can ask questions in all three languages via text message or phone call. The exact details on how journalists can participate in a press conference from abroad will be provided with the invitation to each press conference.
Information on press conferences and public hearings will be published on our website.
Media Accreditation
To get media accreditation at the KSC, please send an email to [email protected] with your name, the media outlet you are working for, a scan of your ID and press pass and the date and time of the hearing or press conference you would like to attend. The KSC Public Information team will verify your information and make sure your name is announced at the reception and that a media visitor’s pass is provided for you.
Please note that space in the public gallery is limited and the KSC can only allow for as many people as it has seating.