For two days in a row, lawyers functioning in different municipalities underwent training on defamation. The training addressed the importance of the case law of the European Court of Human Rights which serves as an important reference point for assessing the risks of human rights violations that are inherent in the structure and content of national defamation laws.
Trainers unfolded information on local and international legal frameworks regarding defamation and protection of reputation as well as elaborated on the process for determining whether the right to freedom of expression might be limited (the three-part test).
Moreover, the topic of defamation and protection of the reputation of public figures and the rights and responsibilities of journalists encouraged a lively discussion between participants and trainers.
During the event, participants were introduced to an overview of the Council of Europe guidelines and activities addressing the issue of defamation concerning freedom of expression. The training was an opportunity for lawyers to learn about the general principles behind defamation law and practice developing litigation strategies in the event of defamation suits against their clients.
This initiative is conducted in the framework of the Horizontal Facility II programme, a co-operation initiative co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe.