What’s New
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4 May 2011
Sierra Leone President Promises FOI Law Soon
Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma on May 3 promised that a freedom of information bill will become law “pretty, pretty soon,” according to a Awoko media report. His pledge came as 50 journalists organized by the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) marched to the State House on International Press Freedom Day urging repeal […]
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4 May 2011
Aquino to Advance FOI Bill Proposal, Aide Says
The chances of a freedom of information in the Philippines improved this week as aides to President Benigno Aquino said that a FOI bill will be presented to the House of Representatives. The Palace bill has not yet been made public, but even the prospect of a written proposal is considered positive news after Aquino […]
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2 May 2011
Icons Signal Expanded Australian Disclosures
Beginning May 1, Australian government agencies must publish a “disclosure log” listing information that has been released in response to freedom of information access requests. The logs, signaled by a uniform icon, must be updated within 10 working days of giving the FOI applicant access to the information. This disclosure is one piece of a larger […]
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2 May 2011
Philippines Journalism Center Sees Mixed Access Picture
There are a few signs of more transparency since President Benigno Aquino came to power nearly a year ago, but in most parts of the government “a predilection for opaqueness lingers and more barriers to access have been imposed,” according to a new report by the Philippines Center for Investigative Journalism. “Indeed, because Mr. Aquino’s […]
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2 May 2011
Indonesian Commissioner Cites Limited Authority
The Indonesian Central Information Commission (KIP) received 224 requests from citizens and corporations to settlement of information disputes between July 2010 and March 2011, according to an article in the Jakarta Post. The commission provided information in 22 disputes through mediation. “Seven cases went through adjudication, but in only three of them were documents eventually […]
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2 May 2011
OAS Reports Examines FOI, Human Rights Violations
The Organization of American States Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, Catalina Botero, has released an annual report that includes a section on the right to access to information regarding human rights violations. The 341-page report also discusses “best practices of national courts with regard to access to information in the Americas, and the principles […]
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29 April 2011
Changes in Hungary Seen Undercutting FOI Rights
Hungary has replaced the independent Data Protection and Freedom of Information Commissioner with an administrative authority, seriously weakening the right to access information, according to Human rights and media freedom groups. The changes result the new Hungarian constitution, recently signed by Hungary’s president Pál Schmitt. “There is still a lack of clarity about the proposed […]
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29 April 2011
Ghana Parliament Delays Holding Meetings on RTI Bill
By Toby McIntosh Key leaders of the Ghana parliament are continuing to postpone holding consultations on a pending right to information bill. Since at least late last year, the parliamentarians have said they want to conduct hearings around the country on the bill, which was referred to committee back in September. But no hearings have […]
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28 April 2011
Discussions Held in Botswana on Draft FOI Legislation
Advocates are organizing in support of a proposed freedom of information law for Botswana, according to media reports. The Media Institute of Southern Africa – Botswana held a stakeholders discussion on the bill April 21 in Gaborone and a task force on the bill has been organized, according to a report in the Botswana Gazette. […]
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22 April 2011
Brazil Agrees to Co-Chair International FOI Effort
Brazil has agreed to be the co-chair with the United States of an international effort to encourage freedom of information, a plan that has been in the making since it was broached last fall by President Obama. No official announcement has been made of the co-chairmanship of what is being called the Open Government Partnership […]
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22 April 2011
SA Committee Recesses After Debate on Scope of POIB
The South African parliamentary committee debated whether the proposed protection of information bill should cover the police and the military before recessing until after the May 18 municipal elections, according to reports on the meeting. “Opposition parties disagreed on whether the bill should apply to police and defence, whose powers to classify information derive from […]
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22 April 2011
FOI Notes: Libraries, Research, Open Data
Research: U.S. academic and blogger Michael Zimmer draws attention in a post to a recent paper by University of Arizona journalism professor David Cuillier advocating a more active role for libraries in gathering and disseminating public information. To create “freedom of information gazebos,” Cuillier suggests that libraries start filing freedom of information requests and litigating […]
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22 April 2011
Cayman Commissioner Makes Suggestions for FOI Law
The Cayman Island information commissioner has made recommendations to revise the 2007 freedom of information law for a Legislative Assembly subcommittee tasked with conducting a review. The most recent submission by commissioner Jennifer Dilbert concerns fees and requests submitted using a pseudonym, according to press release from her office. Last September, she made recommendations on […]
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21 April 2011
European Parliament Holds Hearing on Transparency
Pro-transparency members of the European Parliament last week called for an improved European Union disclosure policy, continuing to fuel a now long-running schism with the European Commission and Council. Action by a parliamentary committee on its proposals to change the European disclosure standard, Regulation 1049/2001, is not likely to occur until early summer, after a […]
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20 April 2011
Brazilian FOI Bill Clears Two Senate Panels, One to Go
The proposed Brazilian freedom of information law cleared two Senate committees April 19, leaving one committee to go in an apparent sprint to meet the Brazilian president’s declared goal of passage by May 3. The bill was passed the committees of Human Rights and Science and Technology and will now be considered by the Committee […]
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20 April 2011
Seminar, Activities Mark 2nd Anniversary of Chile FOI Law
By Emilene Martínez Transparency Programs Coordinator at the National Security Archive Diverse activities will be held in Chile the week of April 18 to commemorate the second anniversary of Chile’s Access to Information Law – among them the signing of a draft of a Public Probity Law by President Sebastián Piñera; an International Seminar in […]
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20 April 2011
Chile celebra Seminario Internacional
By Gabriela Ruiz Gabriela Ruiz es Investigadora Visitante del Archivo de Seguridad Nacional en Washington DC; se desempeña como Jefa de la Unidad de Acceso a la Información del Instituto de Transparencia de Chiapas. Para conmemorar el segundo aniversario de la Ley 20.285 de Acceso a la Información Pública de Chile y de la instalación […]
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18 April 2011
Russian Compliance With Two New Laws Faulted
Russian agencies and courts are not abiding by two relatively recent transparency laws, according to a watchdog group’s annual report, which colorfully states, “One cannot stop a ripping rusty locomotive with a mere gesture.” Summarizing the situation, Institute for Information Freedom Development Board Chairman Ivan Pavlov, wrote: Unfortunately, as it is often the case in our country, […]
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18 April 2011
Rousseff Praise Brightens Outlook for Brazilian FOI Bill
By Greg Michener Greg Michener is a Canadian, a professor of political science, and lives with his wife Carolina in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He is currently writing a book for Cambridge University Press on Freedom of Information in Latin America. More of his work can be accessed at http://gregmichener.com Heartening events and significant setbacks […]
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18 April 2011
Chile Plans to Create Transparency Web Portal
By Emilene Martínez On April 15, the Council for Transparency (Consejo para la Transparencia) and the General Secretariat of the Presidency signed an agreement to develop a Transparency Web Portal. The signing ceremony took place at Palacio de La Moneda and was attended by Chilean government officials, members of the Council and representatives from civil […]