IMPROVING LEGAL AND POLITICAL REPORTING IN PAKISTAN Oct 2005 - Mar 2007
Internews will train print and radio journalists in legal and political reporting to improve coverage and public knowledge on political and legal issues, focusing on the courts and legislative processes.
Over the past few years, the Pakistani government has been systematically amending the constitution – including radically changing the local governance and policing systems. These transformative changes have set in motion a spate of new laws, regulations, and procedures. With the media in general not grounded in investigative skills or trained in legal interpretation, public understanding of the implications of legal changes that affect their rights and access to justice is severely limited. Media coverage of these issues in Pakistan is usually limited to reporting of the passage of a law but not its interpretation or reference. Focus on how people are affected by an existing or changed law is even rarer.
Internews will hold three, 3-day training workshops aimed at supporting journalists working in legislative press galleries and covering civil and criminal law issues.
This initiative will be aided by a web-based legal resource that provides updated information and analysis on issues to help journalists provide accurate, in-depth coverage of political processes. Journalists associated with the Geo TV program on rule of law and human rights issues with the help of Internews will also be invited to participate.
Training Focus
The training will focus on:
Reporting parliamentary efforts and political lobbying
Understanding and interpreting legislative bills
Practical solutions to cover rights-based issues
Covering law enforcement practices, including rights abuses such as extrajudicial killings and death in police custody
Court and crime reporting focusing on access to justice issues
Knowledge and practical tools to deal with contempt laws (libel, slander, contempt of court)
