АЈM publication: Guidelines for ethical and professional information on topics from the judiciary

Reporting on court proceedings is one of the most challenging topics for journalists to cover and follow, not because of the scale of the event itself but because of the responsibility to convey a sensitive process to the public transparently and impartially.

Journalists, when reporting on court proceedings, must have knowledge of court processes and the nature of criminal or civil acts, including the stages of the trial. Media coverage of a court process implies that the journalist should be aware of several aspects, namely from the moment when and under what circumstances the event occurred, details about the investigative measures that the public can be aware of, as well as the role of the Public Prosecutor’s Office in cases when there are criminal proceedings.

The Guide to Ethical and Professional Reporting on Judiciary Topics offers a set of principles and examples of good practices that journalists should follow when reporting on the judiciary. It covers several key topics, such as access to information, confidentiality, personal data protection, the principle of presumption of innocence, and the rights of all parties involved in the judicial process.

This practical guide will be of particular benefit to both media workers and judiciary representatives. It will help develop a shared understanding of the principles of ethical and professional reporting, ensuring that the public has access to accurate and impartial information about the judiciary.

The authors of this publication are Dr. Marina Tuneva – an expert in the media field, MSc. Lazar Sandev – a lawyer, and Adrian Qerimi – a journalist at TV Alsat M, have also contributed to the creation of this publication.

The guidelines for ethical and professional information on topics from the judiciary have been prepared and translated into Macedonian, Albanian, and English.

This publication is part of the regional project “Strengthening media freedom in North Macedonia,” financed by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and implemented by the Netherlands Helsinki Committee and Free Press Unlimited in partnership with the Association of Journalists of Macedonia. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are entirely those of the author(s). They do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the organizations implementing the project, or their local partner.