What’s New
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10 September 2014
Bloggers in Vietnam Support Right to Information
Vietnamese bloggers and activists posted a statement on Facebook Sept. 2 pushing for the right to know. “Freedom of expression is closely linked to the right to access information,” the bloggers wrote. They said “every person has the right to receive information from the government such as national policies, activities by government offices and/or the […]
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10 September 2014
Report Scores South Africa For `Failing’ on Access
“Access to information mechanisms are failing” in South Africa, according to a new report by the Right2Know Campaign. Using the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) “often proves to be a frustration that is symptomatic of resistance to openness from information holders,” according to “Secret State of the Nation” for 2014. Monitoring indicates “that […]
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10 September 2014
World Bank Sees Gaps on Data About Access
Data about national right to information systems is weak and widely varied, according to a World Bank report unveiled Sept. 10, and there’s a need for “a global dialogue on reporting standards.” “It is very import to get the information so you can improve the process if it is not working,” said Stephanie E. Trapnell, […]
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4 September 2014
FOI Bill for Philippines Emerges From Subgroup
The Technical Working Group (TWG) of the Philippines House has adopted a consolidated version of a freedom of information bill (text). The movement by the TWG Sept. 2 clears the way for passage by the Public Information Committee, whose chairman, Rep. Jorge Almonte, said its report on the “consensus FOI bill” should be ready for submission […]
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4 September 2014
Russian FOI Organization Declared Foreign Agent
Russia’s Ministry of Justice Aug. 29 declared the Freedom of Information Foundation a “foreign agent.” FIF joins 12 other Russian NGOs with that designation, accused of carrying out “political activities” and receiving foreign funding. The groups are subject to audits, supervision and potential criminal or administrative penalty policies under the Foreign Agent Law. The “foreign […]
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4 September 2014
US Government Issues Prototype FOI Request Tool
A U.S. government team has unveiled a prototype tool for making freedom of information requests online. The blog post about the consolidated request submission hub says the tool is part of an effort to: improve the FOIA request submission experience; create a scalable infrastructure for making requests to federal agencies; and make it easier for requesters […]
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4 September 2014
Indian Group Asks Modi to Appoint Chief Commissioner
The National Campaign for Peoples’ Right to Information (NCPRI) has called for an end to the delay in appointing a new chief information commissioner. The new government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has postponed a decision “ostensibly because of the deadlock over leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha,” a letter to Modi notes, going […]
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4 September 2014
Democratic Republic of Congo Considering ATI Bill
Senator Moise Nyarugabo in the Democratic Republic of Congo has introduced an access to information bill. Passage of the bill is being urged by Collectif 24, a nongovernmental organization that coordinated a civil society effort to draft the bill. Advocates are hoping for a Senate vote this month, according to Henri Christin Longendja of Collectif […]
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4 September 2014
China Announces Plans For Local Budget Transparency
China’s State Council Sept. 3 announced plans to improve budget transparency, according to a statement described in a Global Times report and a Dow Jones article. The publication of complete budgets should also be done at the local level, said the State Council, The Dow Jones account said the plan is to eliminate off-budget expenditures, […]
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4 September 2014
FOI Notes: Open Contracting, World Bank Report, FOI Fees, Research, Odd Documents, Reports
Open Contracting: The Open Contracting Partnership announces the Beta Release of the Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS). World Bank Study: The World Bank will hold an e-webinar on Sept. 10 at 10 a.m. EST on a forthcoming report concerning RTI requests and appeals. Register here. Fees: An Irish government report on FOI fees includes research on […]
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28 August 2014
Mexican Migration Agency Makes First Disclosure on Massacre
By Jesse Franzblau This report first appeared in Migration Declassified on Aug. 20. Franzblau is a policy analyst working on freedom of information projects in an independent capacity. He specializes in the use of FOI laws in Latin America, and is a regular contributor to the Migration Declassified project. Mexico’s federal migration agency has for the […]
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28 August 2014
Mozambique Close to Passing Access to Information Law
Mozambique’s parliament on Aug. 21 gave unanimous approval on first reading to an access to information law, but the action may have come too late in this session to become law. The bill could come up in an “extraordinary sitting” of the Assembly to be held before the general elections scheduled for Oct. 15, with […]
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28 August 2014
FOI Notes: Commentary, Reports, Media Use of FOI, OGP, China, US, Satire
Making All Voices Count: A of future plans by Making All Voices Count includes, “We will not run another global open call for proposals, but we will retain the Global Innovation Competition. In place of the open call we will be adopting a locally led, bottom up approach, led by a Country Programmes unit.” Open […]
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28 August 2014
How to Appoint a New Indian Chief Information Commissioner
By Shailesh Gandhi The author served as a Central Information Commissioner in India from Sept. 18, 2008, to July 6, 2012. This commentary appeared Aug. 27 in RTI India. A Committee comprising PM and the Leader of Opposition, recommends CICs names. Since, at present there is no Leader of Opposition, a recently-retired CIC has not […]
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24 August 2014
Paraguayan Senate Passes House-Amended ATI Bill
The Paraguayan Senate Aug. 21 approved the Access to Information Act, accepting amendments proposed by the House. A presidential signature is expected in the coming days, at which point Paraguay will be the 100th nation with a freedom of information law. The House passed a bill May 28, amending a Senate-passed bill. The House altered […]
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21 August 2014
Wacky FOI Requests? Really? Sinister Motive? Possibly
Media outlets worldwide recently ran a story about the “top 10” wacky FOI requests in the United Kingdom – including requests about dragon attacks and preparations for astroid attacks. Subsequently, however, the motives of the list-maker have been critically examined and the seeming oddness of the requests has been called into question. The motive? The […]
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21 August 2014
Article 19 Criticizes Draft Mozambique Legislation
A draft right to information bill in Mozambique is disappointingly weak, according to a critique by Article 19 issued Aug. 15. The London-based free expression group said: Despite some positive provisions towards securing the right to information, the draft law in its current form largely fails to adequately enforce the constitutionally enshrined right to information. […]
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21 August 2014
FOI Notes: Reports, Commentary, Employment, UN, Mexico, More
OGP: Alberto Abella creates a countries’ ranking based on their ambition in their OGP plans and their accomplishments. Latin America: As part of its series of occasional e-books, the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas just launched “Transparency and Accountability: Journalism and access to public information in Latin America and the Caribbean.” This e-book […]
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21 August 2014
Bangladesh Needs Transparency in Picking New Commissioners
By Suchismita Goswami The author is Project Officer, Access to Information Programme, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative. This article appeared The Daily Star Aug. 21. Two out of three posts at the Bangladesh Information Commission are lying vacant for the past month. The government knew they were falling vacant when information commissioners Sadeka Halim and MA […]
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21 August 2014
Several Proposals in UK Would Change Procedures
The senior president of tribunals in the United Kingdom, Sir Jeremy Sullivan, has proposed that in some situations a judge alone could handle information rights cases. Now, two lay people experienced in information law generally sit alongside a judge, according to a summary on a website run by a law firm, Pinset Mason. “It does […]