The MH17 criminal trial opened on 9 March 2020 amid great media interest. Shortly after, COVID-19 emerged and measures, including travel restrictions, came into effect worldwide and naturally also in the Netherlands.
For this reason, among others, the press centre has not been fully utilised over the past two years. The court has ascertained that media in the Netherlands and abroad have been willing and able to follow the trial via the stable livestream feed provided. Maintaining a dedicated temporary press centre for the MH17 criminal trial is therefore no longer necessary.
Members of the media who wish to follow the trial at the JCS are welcome to attend in the courtroom or in one of the adjacent viewing rooms. Accreditation is required for these locations. On the day the court delivers its judgment (expected late 2022), a temporary facility will be set up to ensure that anyone who so wishes may attend the hearing at or adjacent to the JCS.