To enhance the quality of court reporting, the USAID Rule of Law Program (Program), in partnership with the USAID Media Program, organized another two-day training for journalists. Following the training of journalists from the Imereti,  Adjara,  Samegrelo and Guria regions in 2023, 14 regional journalists from the Shida-Kartli and Samtskhe-Javakheti regions were also trained on How to Cover Legal Issues.

During the training held between April 20-21, 2024, the trainers Natia Kapanadze, Ilona Diasamidze, and Tamar Rukhadze covered topics including: general rules and nuances of court coverage, media restrictions, protection of the presumption of innocence, legal terms and terminology, communication with judges, judicial assistants, prosecutors, investigators, lawyers, and parties, sensitive topics and vulnerable groups in the media, accessing public information, and protection of journalists' rights.

In her welcoming notes, the USAID Rule of Law Program Regional Rule of Law Advisor, Irina Lortkipanidze, presented an overview of the Program’s work, the activities of the Program’s rule of law regional hubs, and the key focus of the media training. The training aimed to enhance the accuracy and credibility of reporting, equipping journalists with the necessary knowledge of the legal system to provide reliable and trustworthy news. Tamar Rukhadze, a trainer and representative of the USAID Media Program, underscored the pivotal role of the media in reporting on court proceedings and legal matters. Natia Kapanadze, another trainer who is a human rights defender and media law lawyer, emphasized that the professional tools of journalists and the legal framework are continually evolving to ensure the objective and comprehensive dissemination of news. Ilona Diasamidze, a trainer, legal expert, and lawyer for the media ombudsman, acknowledged the challenge faced by journalists in fully grasping and utilizing legal terminology. During the training session, journalists had the opportunity to engage in discussions, pose questions, and receive informative responses.

After the training, the Program’s Regional Rule of Law Advisor Irina Lortkipanidze, and the Communications Advisor Meri Makharashvili, awarded the winners of the competition for regional journalists from Imereti, Guria, Samegrelo–Zemo Svaneti, and Adjara.

Journalists Tamar Gazdeliani, correspondent from Adjara TV [public broadcaster] and Tea Vashalomidze, Adjara correspondent of TV company Mtavari Arkhi were honored for their outstanding stories in broadcast media.  Eka Kukhalashvili, a journalist for KutaisiPost from the Imereti region, and Jaba Ananidze, a journalist at Batumelebi from Adjara, received awards for their excellent articles published in online media.

The third award category for the best documentary photo reflecting a court case did not have a winner announced, attributed to the quality of the applications received.

"When you win a competition in your favorite field, it's a completely different feeling. Thank you for this opportunity," said Journalist Tamar Gazdeliani.

Overall, the competition served as a valuable platform to recognize and promote excellence in court case coverage and ethical reporting within the realm of legal journalism.