To uphold the principles of freedom of expression and protection of journalists, a capacity-building initiative was organised in Gevgelija gathering legal professionals from various backgrounds including judges, prosecutors, and lawyers. They worked together during the three-day training course towards building their capacities as trainers and aligning their practices with the European standards and the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights.

Under the guidance of leading consultants of the Council of Europe, the training sessions blended actual case studies with interactive discussions. Participants delved into the complexities of Article 10 of the European Convention for Human Rights, exploring strategies to address the underlying principles and conditions for limitations on the freedom of expression, defamation and insult, hate speech and threats faced by journalists while upholding the values of democracy. By utilising specific peer-to-peer training methodology, legal experts are not only enhancing their capacities as future trainers but also contributing to a democratic society by applying European standards on freedom of expression and freedom of the media in the domestic context.

During the three days they had the opportunity to get equipped with a deeper understanding of legal principles and practical tools, to transfer further their knowledge to their peers and uphold the fundamental right to freedom of expression, ensuring that democratic values remain robust and resilient in North Macedonia.

This activity was organised under the joint European Union and the Council of Europe action “Protecting freedom of expression and of the media in North Macedonia” (PRO-FREX), which is a part of the programme Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye.