On December 1st 2014, a seminar “Court Reporting in Russia and Europe” was held in Saint Petersburg. Journalists and lawyers were invited to take part in the event, which was organised by the human rights organization Citizens’ Watch and the Guild of Court Reporters.
The law community is one of the most important sources of information on the judicial process and on the court activities in general. Lawyers are called upon to defend the rights and legitimate interests of citizens, while journalists must defend the right of citizens to access information; thus, the two professions are closely connected.
The seminar offered an opportunity to examine the interdependent practices of lawyers and journalists in Russia, Germany, and the United Kingdom. It was part of a joint project led by the Saint Petersburg-based NGO Citizens’ Watch and the Guild of Court Reporters aimed to promote the transparency of the courts as a way to ensure the constitutional right of the citizens to access information.
The seminar was attended by the experts from the UK and Germany as well as Russian lawyers and journalists.