The Court shall operate with the highest practicable level of transparency and public access consistent with the administration of justice, the protection of victims and witnesses, and the rights of all parties.
Court proceedings shall, as a general principle, be public.
The Court shall make its public hearings available through live broadcast or other publicly accessible media wherever technically and legally practicable.
The Court may conduct proceedings by secure video link where the Court determines that remote proceedings are appropriate, including where: a. there is a risk to the life or safety of a participant; b. attendance in person would create an unreasonable security risk; c. the participant is unable to travel; d. remote proceedings would significantly reduce unnecessary costs; e. the Court is operating during an emergency or exceptional circumstance; or f. the Court otherwise considers remote proceedings appropriate in the interests of justice.
A person appearing by video link shall, where reasonably practicable, have the same procedural rights and ability to participate as a person appearing physically before the Court.
The Court may permit a person to participate from a secure location, including a Court facility, police station, secure government facility, prison, other authorised facility, or private residence where appropriate safeguards are in place.
Where a person participates from a private residence, the Court may require appropriate security arrangements, including the presence of authorised law-enforcement or Court personnel where the Court considers this necessary.
The Court may restrict or temporarily suspend public access to all or part of a hearing only where necessary to: a. protect the life or safety of a person; b. protect a child or vulnerable victim or witness; c. protect a person from serious intimidation, retaliation, or harassment; d. protect highly sensitive personal, medical, financial, or security information; e. preserve the integrity of an ongoing investigation; f. prevent the disclosure of evidence that could seriously prejudice a fair trial; or g. address another exceptional circumstance expressly authorised by the Court.
Any restriction on public access shall be no broader or longer than reasonably necessary, and the Court shall give reasons for the restriction where appropriate.
The Court shall publish final judgments and significant judicial decisions, together with the reasons for those decisions, subject to lawful protections for victims, witnesses, children, confidential information, and other protected material.
The Court shall maintain a publicly accessible record of its proceedings, judgments, sentences, Rules, official decisions, annual reports, financial reports, and other information that the Court determines should be available to the public.
The Court may publish transcripts, recordings, evidence summaries, judicial documents, statistical information, and other material relating to public proceedings where publication is consistent with this Treaty.
The Court may establish official websites, social-media accounts, livestreaming channels, video platforms, podcasts, publications, and other communication channels to make its work accessible to the public.
Public broadcasting and media coverage shall not permit any person to interfere with proceedings, intimidate participants, manipulate evidence, obstruct justice, or otherwise undermine the integrity of the Court.
The Court may establish reasonable rules governing filming, recording, broadcasting, photography, commentary, and media access within Court proceedings.
The Court shall seek to make its proceedings accessible to people regardless of geographical location, disability, language, financial circumstances, or technological limitations, where reasonably practicable.
The Court may provide interpretation, translation, captions, transcripts, and other accessibility measures for public proceedings.
The Court shall seek to make important public information available in the official languages adopted under this Treaty and in other languages where resources permit.
Public access to proceedings shall not remove the right of an accused person to a fair and impartial trial.
The Court shall not permit public opinion, media attention, popularity, political pressure, financial influence, or online campaigning to determine the outcome of a case.
Nothing in this Article shall prevent the Court from conducting necessary private judicial discussions, deliberations, confidential hearings, or protected proceedings where required by this Treaty.
The Court shall publish appropriate explanations where a proceeding or part of a proceeding is not publicly accessible, unless doing so would itself create a significant risk to safety, justice, or protected information.
The Rules of the Court shall establish detailed procedures for public access, live broadcasting, remote participation, media accreditation, publication of records, protection of confidential information, and the responsible use of Court media.