Court reporters and journalists gathered in Tushemisht - Pogradec, for a two-day workshop titled “Reporting Justice Accurately: Professional Standards in Legal and Court Reporting”, organised by the joint action of the  European Union and the Council of Europe on “Protecting Freedom of Expressions and of the Media in Albania (PROFREX), in co-operation with the Association of Albanian Journalists.

The activity enhanced the professionalism and ethical standards of journalists covering justice and court-related matters — a key step toward fostering transparency, strengthening media integrity, and supporting Albania’s progress on its EU accession path.

Accurate, impartial, and responsible reporting of legal and judicial processes plays a crucial role in ensuring public trust in the justice system. The training responded to the growing need to equip media professionals with practical knowledge of the Albanian legal framework, the principles of open justice, and the European standards that protect both freedom of expression (Article 10 ECHR) and the right to a fair trial (Article 6 ECHR).

 Over the two days, participants engaged in a series of expert presentations, practical exercises, and group discussions on topics such as:

•  the principle of open justice and access to court information;
• ethical and legal boundaries in media coverage of trials;
• contempt of court and defamation risks;
• protection of sources and privacy rights; and
• building constructive communication between media and judicial actors.

Interactive simulations and case studies from the European Court of Human Rights helped participants apply theory to practice, while group work sessions encouraged reflection on real-world dilemmas, such as balancing public interest with individual rights.

By the end of the training, participants strengthened their understanding of judicial processes and improved their ability to report accurately, ethically, and responsibly on cases of public interest. The initiative also fostered stronger professional networks between journalists and members of the judiciary — a crucial step toward enhancing transparency and public trust in both institutions.

This workshop was organised by the Division for Cooperation on Freedom of Expression and the action “Protecting Freedom of Expression and of the Media in Albania”  part of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”.