What should the ICC do to ensure that people in the CAR know about courtroom developments in The Hague?
The ICC is faced with the challenge of making sure that the proceedings are meaningful for the communities most affected by the crimes in the country situations under investigation. To be meaningful, justice proceedings must be understood by victims. The ICC must, therefore, make every possible effort to communicate publicly important legal proceedings in The Hague to the people of the CAR. This could include making arrangements to broadcast the first day of proceedings to victims’ groups in Bangui, the capital of CAR, reaching out to local media outlets to provide information about the hearing and making staff available to answer questions, and circulating an audio/video summary of the entire hearing once it is completed. In October 2007, the ICC opened an office in Bangui to conduct outreach, among other functions, but the office remains understaffed. This has seriously undercut the court’s ability to engage with communities affected by Bemba’s alleged crimes. While efforts are under
