OSCE trains court reporters in Kazakhstan

ASTANA, 25 March 2016 – The first of three OSCE-supported two-day training seminars for court reporters began today in Astana.

The event is organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in co-operation with the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan, the Guild of Court Reporters and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.

The series of seminars aim to promote journalism covering the legal system in Kazakhstan by establishing a pool of professional court reporters. Some 20 journalists from across the country will enhance their professional skills on legal reporting, learn how to correctly apply the legal terms and assert their right to access to information during court proceedings as well as establish good co-operation with judicial authorities. The Supreme Court judges, practicing lawyers and journalists will lead the course covering key modules such as openness of the court trial, protection of the access to information during the court trial, covering civil and criminal cases as well as specific issues in court coverage.

“Establishing a professional court reporters’ pool aims to satisfy the public interest in getting qualified and objective information on judicial issues and legal cases considered in courts of different instances and thus contribute to the transparency and clarity of the judicial process,” said Ambassador György Szabó, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana.

Erbol Rakhimbekov, Supreme Court Judge and Co-ordinator on Co-operation with the Media said: “Kazakhstan’s legislation guarantees the publicity principle of transparency and the openness of civil, criminal and administrative court proceedings. This seminar will thus provide journalists with knowledge on the legal base that regulates issues of access to the justice system and inform them how to protect their rights in covering the judicial process.  This will contribute to enhancing co-operation between judges and journalists.”

The seminar is part of the Office’s long-standing efforts to promote the host country’s judicial reform efforts and increase the efficiency of interaction between the judiciary and the media.