What’s New
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26 October 2012
African HR Commission Critical of Model FOI Law
The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights on Oct. 18 gave a rough reception to a draft model freedom of information law and deferred approval until its next meeting, in February. Commissioners found many reasons to criticize the draft model law (English and French), which has been developed by a “Working Group” over the […]
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25 October 2012
Maldives Official Signals RTI Bill May Move This Year
The Speaker of the Parliament in the Maldives said Oct. 22 that a right to information bill could pass out of a committee by the end of this year, according to several news reports. Speaker Abdulla Shahid make his comment at the conclusion of a one-day conference on access to information sponsored by Transparency Maldives. […]
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24 October 2012
Level of FOI Requests Varies With Awareness of Laws
Variation in the per capita usage of freedom of information laws may depend on public awareness of the laws, according to two Swiss researchers. The research was done primarily on the situations in Switzerland and Germany, where usage is lower than in other countries. Or at least it was at the time of the study, […]
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24 October 2012
Emphasis on Open Data Overshadows Access Problems in Canada
By Ken Rubin Rubin’s article first appeared Oct. 22 in Hill Times and is reprinted with permission. Rubin’s website is subtitled, “Canada’s Information Warrier.” Treasury Board Minister Tony Clement is quite happy these days to boast in Parliament and in news releases about bright “open data” prospects while ignoring the increasing “closed records” secrecy practices […]
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19 October 2012
93 Countries Have FOI Regimes, Most Tallies Agree
The number of countries with freedom of information laws or similar administrative regulations stands at 93, according to most experts. The near unanimity on who makes a consensus list, and how many, represents something of a change since last year when estimates ranged from to 86 to 97 countries. (See previous FreedomInfo.org report.) Informal consultation among three […]
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19 October 2012
UK AG Blocks Release of Prince Charles Letters
The United Kingdom Attorney General has blocked the release of 27 letters sent by Prince Charles to seven government departments. A court ruled last month that the letters were “advocacy correspondence” and should be disclosed. Disagreeing, AG Dominic Grieve wrote that the letters were part of the prince’s “preparations for kingship.” Grieve also said, “The […]
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19 October 2012
OGP Picks Joe Foti as IRM Program Manager
The Open Government Partnership has chosen Joe Foti, formerly with the environmental group World Resources Institute, as the program manager for the Independent Review Mechanism. Foti, who will start Oct. 22, was Senior Associate with the Institutions and Governance Program at WRI. According to information on the WRI website, he was the lead author of […]
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19 October 2012
FOI Notes: Access for Foreigners, Bangladesh, Data
International FOI: “Rights of Foreigners in Access to Information Laws – a Comparative Picture” has been issued by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative. The detailed spread sheet (click “download” under graphic on right side) describes access rights in 56 countries. It was compiled by Venkatesh Nayak with input from members of FOIANet. Bangladesh: Research Initiatives, […]
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16 October 2012
OGP SC Addresses Evaluations, Eligibility
The Open Government Partnership Steering Committee has indicated a “strong endorsement” of efforts to encourage member countries to improve their scores on the basic eligibility criteria for membership. The Steering Committee’s opinion is revealed in newly released minutes for its meeting of Sept. 26 in New York City. The minutes also show that the Steering […]
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15 October 2012
Indian RTI Activists Object to PM’s Comments; Bill Planned
Indian right to information activists have roundly condemned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s recent criticisms of the RTI law, but one major media outlet reports that the government is preparing amendments to change the law to prevent alleged misuse. “A senior bureaucrat” told The Times of India Oct 13 that amendments are in the works. “After […]
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15 October 2012
Ex-Liberian Official Assesses Performance on FOI Law
Some editors in Liberia report that the two-year-old freedom of information law is working well, but other editors have experienced difficulty, according to a former top Liberian official, Tiawon Gongloe. He spoke at a recent meeting in Dakar, Senegal , about FOI and national security. The session was one in an ongoing series by Open […]
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15 October 2012
FOI Notes: Proactive Disclosure, OGP, RTI Video, Argentina, Open Data
Proactive Disclosure: An article based on a recent lecture given in China by Mitchell W. Pearlman, former executive director of the Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission and is now a lecturer in media law at the University of Connecticut. Posted on the website of the U.S. National Freedom of Information Coalition. It concludes in part: […]
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12 October 2012
Indian Government Appeals Controversial Court Ruling
The Indian government has appealed a controversial Supreme Court ruling that that has roiled Indian information commissions by mandating more involvement of trained judges in the process. The announcement came Oct. 11, preceding an Oct. 12 speech by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the seventh anniversary of the RTI act at seventh Convention of Central […]
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12 October 2012
Philippines House Delays Timing for FOI Legislation
The schedule for considering freedom of information in the Philippines House of Representatives has slipped again, prompted new fears that it will not be passed this year. Nov. 13 has been set as the date for a House committee meeting, after earlier promises of action in mid-October disappeared. FOI proponent Deputy Speaker Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada […]
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12 October 2012
Critics Score Proposals to Change Danish FOI Law
Proposals to change the Danish freedom of information law seem designed to prevent access to materials about the development of policy, according to critics. The government and opposition parties negotiated to produce a package of modifications, but several other parties and interest groups are now raising objections. The most contentious provision would severely limit access […]
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12 October 2012
OGP Subcommittee Plans Guidance for Reviewers
The Open Government Partnership is moving toward providing some basic guidance for countries and independent experts on how to do their evaluations of the national action plans, according to recently released minutes of the Criteria and Standards Subcommittee meeting of Sept. 25. The OGP is expected to soon announce the membership of the International Expert […]
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12 October 2012
Canadian Law Needs Improvement, Groups Say
Canada should begin broad consultations as a first step to bringing its Access to Information Act into line with international standards, and officials “should improve their compliance with the spirit of the Act,” according to five civil society groups. The conclusions came in a submission to the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review process […]
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12 October 2012
Trinidad and Tobago Minister Withholds Crime Statistics
By Daniel Guerra This report was published by the Knight Center for Journlism in the Americas blog Oct. 10, 2012. It is also available in Spanish and Portuguese. A top government official in Trinidad and Tobago has ordered police to withhold crime statistics from the public and media, the Miami Herald reported Wednesday, Oct. 10. […]
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12 October 2012
Experts Urge Government to Protect UK FOI Law
By Will Fitzgibbon This article was published Oct. 11, 2012, by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, a not-for-profit organization based at City University, London. The government may clamp down on public access to information through reforms to the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, experts warned during a public conference in London on Tuesday. A panel […]
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11 October 2012
Indian CIC Orders Delhi to Enhance Assembly Info
The Central Information Commission has ordered the Delhi assembly to provide more information about its proceedings. Information Commissioner Annapurna Dixit directed the assembly secretariat to publish laws that pass on its website in Hindi and English and to consider providing live webcasts of assembly proceedings, according to reports in the Times of India and the Hindustan […]