International Scientific Conference Media, Penal Law and Judiciary

International Experts Analyze the Complex Relationship Between Media, Criminal Law, and the Judiciary at Belgrade Conference

BELGRADE, Serbia – November 24, 2023 – Members of the academic Module participated prominently in the International Scientific Conference "Media, Penal Law and Judiciary," held on November 24, 2023, in Belgrade. The event was organized by the Institute of Comparative Law, the Institute of Criminological and Sociological Research, and the Judicial Academy.

The conference brought together a wide array of legal scholars, judges, prosecutors, and researchers from across Europe to dissect the multifaceted and often contentious interactions between media freedoms, criminal justice procedures, and the right to a fair trial.

The Module's members contributed significantly to the international dialogue. Dr. Elena Diaz Galan and Dr. Harold Bertot Triana presented a joint paper titled “The media and International criminal court: Between the Integrity of Judicial Proceedings and Accessibility and Publicity.” Their presentation examined the delicate balance the ICC must strike between ensuring transparent and accessible proceedings for the global public and protecting the integrity of the judicial process from potentially prejudicial media influence.

The conference was inaugurated by the directors of the organizing institutes, Prof. Dr. Vladimir Čolović and Dr. Ivana Stevanović, alongside Nenad Vujić, Director of the Judicial Academy. Dr. Jelena Kostić and Dr. Marina Matić Bošković, members of the Module, played an active role in organizing this event.

The agenda featured intensive working sessions covering critical themes, including:

• Freedom of Expression and its Limits in Penal Law, with contributions from Prof. Dr. Milan Škulic (Serbia) and Dr. Manfred Dauster (Germany).

• Media Accountability, exploring criminal responsibility for hate speech and defamation.

• The Right to a Fair Trial and the Role of Media, analyzing the media's impact on public perception and judicial impartiality.

• The Growing Influence of Social Networks on the criminal justice system.

• Media and the Phenomenology of Criminality, including discussions on spyware used against journalists and financial fraud via communication services.

The participation of Dr. Diaz Galan and Dr. Bertot Triana underscores the Module's ongoing commitment to engaging in high-level international forums that address the most pressing challenges at the intersection of law, media, and global governance. Their work contributes to a deeper understanding of how judicial institutions worldwide navigate the digital media landscape.