Protestors in Denmark Carry Torches Over New FOI Law

30 December 2013

Amendments to the Danish freedom of information law will create more darkness, according to about 1,500 protestors who carried torches in a silent protest Dec. 19.

The rally outside Christiansborg Dec. 29 came in advance of the Jan. 1 effective date of the amended law, according to a Copenhagen Post account.

The main concern is that it will limit access to documents that are passed between ministers and civil servants. It passed despite a petition campaign that generated almost 89,0000 signatures, the most popular domestic online petition ever.

“Anders Højsted, a member of Radikale and founder of an 11,613-member Facebook group against the law, argued that many political scandals exposed in the past would not have seen the light of day if the new rules had applied then, according to the Post article.

Earlier in December, the Post reported that cabinet members were seeking exemptions from the law for 58 state-owned firms.

The bill was passed in May. (See previous FreedomInfo.org reports.)

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