PODGORICA, August 26th, 2021 – Council of Europe developed a Help platform for online courses on human rights related topics, including freedom of expression and safety of journalists. 

Freedom of expression course includes modules like Types of speech protected under Article 10, Privacy and defamation, Media regulation. Freedom of Expression online. Freedom of Expression and elections. Protection of sources. Information received in confidence etc. and lasts approximately nine hours.

Protection and Safety of Journalists course include topics like Threats against journalism (threats against journalists, effects of the threats, response to the threats), Legal frameworks and mechanisms and tools, Physical and psychological integrity of journalists and Journalism in action (newsgathering; publication; journalism on trial; law enforcement and journalists).

The HELP online courses are interactive and visual. They cover various human rights related topics, reflecting the different areas of work of the Council of Europe. HELP courses are unique as they combine the EU and the Council of Europe law and case law, and help judges, prosecutors, lawyers and other professionals (including journalists) to apply both systems in a practical and effective way.

They can be taken as self-study courses and tutored courses organized in cooperation with a national partner institution.