Training for investigative journalists

12 September 2008
The seminar "The legal dimension of the journalistic investigations of corruption cases", carried out in May 2007 by CAPC for 15 representatives of mass-media, was resumed in September 2008. Thus, during 12-13, 19-20 and 26-27 September 2008 the enhanced agenda of the 2007 seminar was proposed to 80 journalists, selected by the Independent Press Association. Nearly half of the participants were from the capital city, another half – from rayons, including 8 participants from the left side of the Nistru River.

During the seminar, the participants were trained by experienced investigative journalists from „Ziarul de Garda”, as well as representatives of law enforcement agencies: the Centre for Combating Economic Crime and Corruption, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, the General Prosecutor's Office and the Ministry of Interior.

The seminar aimed at consolidating the capacities of the journalists to investigate corruption cases, by familiarizing the journalists with legal and penal aspects of corruption crimes, with provisions of national and international anti-corruption legislation, with specific characteristics of intelligence investigation, criminal prosecution and court prosecution in corruption cases. Each separate topic was presented by practitioners of the law enforcement authorities, the journalists had the opportunity to establish relationships and direct contacts with the seminar lecturers, to discuss with them about cooperation with law enforcement authorities, as well as to find solutions.

The seminar theory classes were joined with practical classes, where journalists solved test cases and case studies, in order to be able to properly assess the alleged acts of corruption, in order to determine correctly the competencies of the law enforcement authorities and to identify verification and investigation actions the law enforcement authorities can undertake, following the publication of investigations in the press, based on real examples of such cases.

The seminar was organized within the framework of the project „Education of mass-media and raising the public awareness about the corruption phenomenon – stage II”, with the financial support of the British Embassy in Chisinau.