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UNESCO organized a training course for prosecutors on crimes against journalists in Bangkok
The training brought together 30 prosecutors from Bangkok and other regions and created an opportunity for open dialogues among different stakeholders, including Thai journalists. The workshop particularly underlined the crucial role of prosecutors鈥 efforts not only to end impunity and ensure the rule of law, but also to protect freedom of expression as a fundamental human right. As underlined by Ms. Gita Sabharwal, the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Thailand in a about the event: 鈥渢he judicial system is fundamental to checks and balances in every society. The UN in Thailand recognizes that public prosecutors are at the core of this system and ensuring due process, human rights and rule of law for civil society to flourish鈥.
As prosecutors, we have a key role in administrating justice and securing public order. However, prosecuting crimes against journalists is more meaningful. We are not only bringing those responsible for a crime to justice but also taking part in upholding freedom of expression, a fundamental right for exercising other rights.
Besides providing the participants with operational tools for investigating and prosecuting crimes against journalists and media workers, high-level trainers and national experts also addressed key thematic areas, such as specific threats against women journalists, and explored mechanisms for the protection of journalists and their sources, and the protection of witnesses.
When threats of violence and attacks against journalists are not properly investigated, this leads to more severe aggressions and murders, which is an extreme form of media censorship. This cycle of violence against journalists is often an indicator of the weakening of the rule of law and of the judicial system globally. Independent public prosecutors thus have a crucial role to play in protecting journalists and in ensuring that the rule of law and democracy are respected.
In this regard, the training notably built on UNESCO and the International Association of Prosecutors鈥 , available in 18 languages and recently translated in with the support of the Office of the Attorney General of Thailand. The course, delivered in a series of plenary and workshop sessions, examined constraints and challenges of working conditions of journalists and looked into how the work of journalists and prosecutors is done from each other鈥檚 perspective.
For me as a prosecutor, the most interesting part was to raise awareness on the importance to protect journalists and to make them trust in the law system in Thailand. The part that shows the standards in the world and the examples from other countries is an aspect that I haven鈥檛 had the opportunity to see during my studies in Thailand.
This training for prosecutors was organized within the framework of which, since 2013, has raised the capacities of over 23,000 judicial actors (judges, prosecutors and lawyers) on international and regional standards on freedom of expression, access to information and the safety of journalists in more than 150 countries, notably through a , on-the-ground training and workshops, and the publications of a number of and .
The organization of this training was notably supported by the .
