The UNESCO/ Iraq Office/, through the Communications and Information Sector, held an intensive training course for judges of publishing and media courts in all areas of appeal, in the context of a joint UNESCO funding project to enhance freedom of expression and safety of journalists.
International standards for freedom of expression and safety of journalists were the most prominent topics in this session, in which UNESCO experts discussed with Iraqi judges the basic roles of Iraqi courts in improving the mechanisms for protecting journalists on one hand, and on the other hand empowering the courts with appropriate judicial tools to keep pace with global developments in the contents of freedom of expression via the Internet or elsewhere.
This activity comes in immediate response to the request of the Presidency of the Supreme Judicial Council from UNESCO to help strengthen national judicial capabilities in the fields of artificial intelligence and the judiciary that respects freedom of expression of opinion, as well as establishing technical teams for the appellate areas to examine and match digital evidence and achieve justice in this important sector.
UNESCO held this session on the basis of two important occasions, the first being the International Day for Access to and Circulation of Information, and the second being the tenth anniversary of the founding of the UNESCO Initiative for Judges on Freedom of Expression of Opinion, whose members today have reached 35,000 specialized judges across the world.
UNESCO, through its experts, is preparing a guide for judges of publishing and media courts and journalists on international standards for freedom of expression in real life or through the digital space. The training also included presentations, including a presentation of the European experience in the European Court of Human Rights, the European Digital Safety Committee, and the European Charter for Freedom of Expression of Opinion and Access to the information.
It is worth noting that UNESCO is working to achieve cooperation and exchange of experiences with regulatory and judicial authorities for communications and information in both the Netherlands and Belgium, and is trying to reach global digital platforms and Internet companies to open national representations and offices locally, which in turn will help in regulating the information and communications sector.
Source: National Iraqi News Agency