Ukraine: Defending Media Freedom
The CEELI Institute is hosting training for Ukrainian lawyers dedicated to the legal defense of journalists and bloggers across their country. In cooperation with the Regional Press Development Institute (RPDI), a Kiev-based NGO, CEELI is bringing these lawyers together for a seminar in Prague, as a follow-up to similar programs that were held in April and October 2015. After focusing on topics such as the protection of whistle-blowers, libel laws, media self-regulation, and comparative EU media law, this next phase (March 2016) focuses both on experiences with pursuing Article 10 (right to freedom of expression) cases at the European Court of Human Rights, and with the legislative transformation affecting state media in Central Europe. The topics, selected by the RPDI, reflect the immediate challenges facing Ukraine today. As the country continues undergoing a deep and uncertain transition, the degree to which its reform efforts are successful will have a profound impact not only on Ukraine itself, but on the entire region. Facilitating the exchange of expertise and best practices between Ukrainian legal professionals and their colleagues from EU countries helps increase the chance that the reforms will succeed.