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It is a flight of seven stairs leading to two large revolving doors.
Before going through the revolving doors, one has to go through metal detectors. If access is granted the main reception area is only a few steps away but still, here one has to surrender their passport and go through fresh vetting before being allowed access to the International Criminal Court proper.
It is here that reality strikes. Suspects are led to one side while their lawyers are shown another lift leading to the courts. From here, lawyers and suspects will only meet in the courtroom, known as pre-trial and trial and appeals chambers in ICC jargon.
This isolation led one Kenyan lawyer on a previous appearance to comment that this separation and experience leads one to realize just how hopeless one is before the ICC.
Those who make it through the main entrance, whether it be suspects or lawyers, are the “privileged” ones.
For the MPs, family members and relatives, senators, political and other supporters who will accompany Deputy President William Ruto to the Dutch city of The Hague for the start of his trial on crimes against humanity, this privilege of going through the main door will not be an option.
PUBLIC ENTRANCE
They, together with journalists, NGO representatives, observers and other activists have to use the public entrance to the rear of the converted Dutch post office building currently hosting the ICC temporarily.
A new and more modern court is being built on land donated by the Dutch government a few kilometres away but maybe not coincidentally, near the ICC detention centre.
Mr Ruto, President Kenyatta and former broadcaster Joshua Sang are facing charges of crimes against humanity for events surrounding the disputed 2007 presidential poll. The case against Mr Ruto and Mr Sang starts on tomorrow while the one against President Kenyatta is scheduled to begin on November 12.
When the case first started before the pre-trial chamber two years ago, a group of activists based in Europe travelled to The Hague to make their presence felt.
They were, however confined to a small section of a park next to the court by Dutch police who recorded their details including names, residential address and reason for their protests. They carried placards reading Kenya should be left alone to deal with its issues.
Throughout the appearance, relatives, family members and supporters who have turned out for the hearings, have had to contend with monitoring proceedings from closed circuit TV sets. The few lucky ones have been accommodated to the public gallery which sits approximately 45 people.
Of the cases currently before the ICC, the Kenyan case appears to attract greater media attention than the others.
MEDIA CENTER
It is common to see such European media giants as the BBC assign reporters even from regional stations to cover the case when it is in session.
For journalists, the media centre will be home throughout the trial. Equipped with desktop computers and WiFi Internet access. The ICC provides regular bulletins to update on proceedings and other events surrounding cases.
Journalists can also cover the proceedings from TV monitors in the media centre.
The main shock for those travelling to the Hague will come when protected witnesses testify.
The ICC has a near obsession with protecting witnesses, some who may be relocated to other countries and in extreme cases have their identity changed.
Inside the court, the blinds are drawn and the public address system switched off whenever protected witnesses are testifying.
Whenever testimony is relayed on closed circuit TV, faces of suspects and the voice is distorted to avoid having them identified. In court, the witnesses are given different identities to protect them.
In extreme cases, the identity of the witness may even be hidden from suspects and their lawyers and only made known to prosecutors, court staff and the judges.
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