Ukrainian media lawyers polished their professional knowledge

In January this year Ukraine passed a new law on access to information marking a step forward for the country’s press freedom. To further such positive developments and polish their professional skills 15 media lawyers recently went on a study trip to the international institutions of Strasbourg

By Antonina Cherevko (IMS) and Olga Suchko (MLI)

Through presentations and round-table discussion dealing with the international standards for human rights at the European Court of Human Rights, the lawyers had a unique chance to strengthen their expertise and professional skills on freedom of the media.

Diana Protsenko, media lawyer and teacher at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, noted:

– The trip will help me, not only as a lawyer, but also as a teacher of law. We were successfully introduced to the European institutions, which set the international human rights standards for the whole region.

Explaining how abstract the international European institutions can be, even for lawyers, Sergiy Zayets reflects on the trip:

– My understanding of the European Convention on Human Rights and its Court has been greatly improved. With this first hand experience, it is no longer an abstract idea to me, but instead a tangible tool, which I can use to protect the rights of my clients.

Ukraine has seen its levels of freedom of expression fluctuate in the past years. According to Reporters Without Borders, which ranks the country a 116 out of 179 on their most recent press freedom index, Ukraine has seen multiple press freedom violations since February 2010 and the election of Viktor Yanukovych as Head of State.

In early 2011, Ukraine did however take a step forward, adopting a law that set a new standard of freedom of information, shortening the time limit for responding to information requests and obliging the state to disclose information systematically via different communication channels, including official web-sites.