Training for journalists and bloggers

Access Info Europe, n-ost, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Transparency International Croatia, Transparency International Bosnia and Herzegovina, Transparency Serbia, CIN and Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) invite interested journalists and bloggers to apply for a two-day training on using freedom of information regulation in their work.

What is the Legal Leaks Training about?

Journalists and bloggers play a central role in initiating and stimulating public debates but face constant challenges in accessing information from public bodies. Particularly when that information relates to issues such as corruption and organised crime, violations of human rights, controversial international relations, environmental contamination, relationships with business and lobby groups, and the more sensitive aspects of EU integration.

The Legal Leaks training will empower journalists in Bosnia, Serbia and Croatia to use their national freedom of information laws as a regular part of their work. The training provides guidance on how to file freedom of information requests and contributes to protecting media freedom by delivering techniques by which journalists can protect the security of their data and of confidential sources of information. All participants receive a national version of the Legal Leaks toolkit which is a detailed guide on how to file freedom of information requests in the 45 of the 56 OSCE participating states (in Europe, Central Asia and North America) which have such laws as well as how to file requests to the European Union. The Legal Leaks training will have a strong component of data journalism skills, with training on how to process, analyse and present data obtained under access to information requests, including use of data visualisation techniques.
Follow-up legal advice through a Help Desk will deliver ongoing support for journalists and bloggers using freedom of information laws in their country or around Europe.

The organisers and partners Access Info Europe, n-ost, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Transparency International Croatia, Transparency International Bosnia and Herzegovina, Transparency Serbia, CIN and Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) are working to empower journalists to recoup their role as public watchdogs through exercise of their right of access to information in both their own country and other countries.