CHAPTER FOUR –– THE BILL OF RIGHTS
Part 2—Rights and fundamental freedoms
50. Fair hearing.
(2) Every accused person has the right to a fair trial, which includes the right—
(m) to have the assistance of an interpreter without payment if the accused person cannot understand the language used at the trial ;
CHAPTER FOUR –– THE BILL OF RIGHTS
Part 2—Rights and fundamental freedoms
50. Fair hearing.
(3) If this Article requires information to be given to a person, the information shall be given in language that the person understands.
PART V – MODE OF TAKING AND RECORDING EVIDENCE IN TRIALS GENERAL
SUBORDINATE COURTS
198. Interpretation of evidence to accused or his advocate
(1) Whenever any evidence is given in a language not understood by the accused, and he is present in person, it shall be interpreted to him in open court in a language which he understands.
(2) If he appears by advocate and the evidence is given in a language other than English and not understood by the advocate, it shall be interpreted to the advocate in English.
(3) When documents are put in for the purpose of formal proof, it shall be in the discretion of the court to interpret as much thereof as appears necessary.
(4) The language of the High Court shall be English, and the language of a subordinate court shall be English or Swahili.
PART VIII – GENERAL PROVISIONS
44. Language
The documents in support of a request for legal assistance made under this Act shall be in English language.
1. The official languages of the Court shall be Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. The judgements of the Court, as well as other decisions resolving fundamental issues before the Court, shall be published in the official languages. The Presidency shall, in accordance with the criteria established by the Rules of Procedure and Evidence, determine which decisions may be considered as resolving fundamental issues for the purposes of this paragraph.
2. The working languages of the Court shall be English and French. The Rules of Procedure and Evidence shall determine the cases in which other official languages may be used as working languages.
3. At the request of any party to a proceeding or a State allowed to intervene in a proceeding, the Court shall authorize a language other than English or French to be used by such a party or State, provided that the Court considers such authorization to be adequately justified.
2. Where there are grounds to believe that a person has committed a crime within the jurisdiction of the Court and that person is about to be questioned either by the Prosecutor, or by national authorities pursuant to a request made under Part 9, that person shall also have the following rights of which he or she shall be informed prior to being questioned:
(c) To have legal assistance of the person's choosing, or, if the person does not have legal assistance, to have legal assistance assigned to him or her, in any case where the interests of justice so require, and without payment by the person in any such case if the person does not have sufficient means to pay for it; and
2. Requests for cooperation and any documents supporting the request shall either be in or be accompanied by a translation into an official language of the requested State or one of the working languages of the Court, in accordance with the choice made by that State upon ratification, acceptance, approval or accession. Subsequent changes to this choice shall be made in accordance with the Rules of Procedure and Evidence.