What’s New
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3 May 2016
Turkey Again Promises to Meet OGP Commitments
After several years of inactivity as a member of the Open Government Partnership, the Turkish government pledged a revitalized membership, again. The promise came in a one-page April 27 letter, and was apparently sufficient for the OGP Steering Committee on May 4 to decide not to label Turkey as an “inactive” member. The last-minute request […]
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28 April 2016
China’s FOIA Turns Eight
By Jamie P. Horsley The author is a Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, affiliated with the Kissinger Institute for China and the U.S., on leave from the Yale Law School Paul Tsai China Center. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author. May 1 marks the eighth […]
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28 April 2016
Kenyan Assembly Approves Access to Information Bill
Kenya’s National Assembly on April 28 approved an Access to Information Bill on third reading, according to media accounts such as one by Alphonce Shiundu in Standard Media and one by James Mbaka in The Star. There is ongoing deliberation by a legal committee on whether it should be forwarded to the Senate for consideration or […]
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28 April 2016
New Vietnam Access Law Criticized
The following report was published by the group Viet Tan (English version, French). “The mission of Viet Tan is to overcome dictatorship, build the foundation for a sustainable democracy, and demand justice and human rights for the Vietnamese people through a nonviolent struggle based on civic participation.” The Access to Information Law, passed on April […]
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28 April 2016
Nigerian Commentary: Freedom of Dis-Information!
By Eugene Enahoro The author describes himself on Twitter as an “HR & Capacity Development professional who writes Tuesday Column in Daily Trust Newspaper and concerns himself only with important matters.” This opinion article was first published in The Daily Trust. As the nation prepares to celebrate 17 years of uninterrupted civilian rule it’s quite […]
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28 April 2016
When right to information helps the wrong people
By Shailesh Ghandi This author is a former Indian information commissioner. This commentary was originally published in The Times of India. Recently, a newspaper reported that an information commissioner of the Tamil Nadu State Information Commission (TNSIC) had likened RTI applications to frivolous public interest litigation. TNSIC officials feel that of late, they have been […]
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28 April 2016
South Africa Resists Proposal to Designate Azerbaijan as Inactive OGP Member
South Africa, the lead co-chair of the Open Government Partnership, is advocating continued diplomatic engagement with Azerbaijan instead of making Azerbaijan an “inactive” OGP member for violating OGP principles, as recommended by an OGP subcommittee, according to OGP officials and informed sources. The OGP Steering Committee is nevertheless expected to declare Azerbaijan inactive on May […]
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28 April 2016
Namibian Video Downplays Access Issues, Activists Say
A new video in Namibia effectively promotes the virtues of access to government information, but seriously downplays the practical difficulties of actually getting information, according to activists consulted by FreedomInfo.org. The video paints “a somewhat rosy picture,” observed one Namibian activist, “fine rhetoric masking a rather parlous situation.” The government has yet to propose an […]
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28 April 2016
FOI Notes: Press Freedom Day/FOI, Open Data Strategy, Windhoek Anniversary, More
UNESCO: “2016 World Press Freedom Day celebrations highlight link between freedom of information and sustainable development,” according to a press release about the ceremonies and programs to be held in Finland May 2-4. Several FOI related panels are to be held, according to the program. “All the main sessions” will be streamed, a UNESCO official […]
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26 April 2016
OGP Committee Poised to Discuss Turkey, Azerbaijan
The Open Government Partnership Steering Committee is poised to consider whether two members, Turkey and Azerbaijan, should be downgraded to “inactive” membership. The Steering Committee also has a broad agenda of policy matters to consider at the meeting May 3-4 in Cape Town, South Africa, (dress code “business formal”), and will be choosing future leaders. […]
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22 April 2016
OGP Selects Six Persons to Join Steering Committee
Six new civil society members have been selected to join the Open Government Partnership Steering Committee, including one incumbent member. The 6 selected candidates are: Aidan Eyakuze (Twaweza – Tanzania) – will start in May Helen Darbishire (Access Info Europe – based in Spain) – will start in September Maria Baron (Directorio Legislativo –Argentina) – […]
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21 April 2016
Open Data Barometer Reads Low and Steady, Study Says
Only one-tenth of national data is really open and free, according to the third annual Open Data Barometer by the World Wide Web Foundation. The Barometer looks at 15 general categories of data, such as health, environment and crime (not at specific datasets), in 92 countries. The evaluative information is gathered through surveys of governments […]
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21 April 2016
Israeli Court Denies Access to Records Concerning Rwanda
The Supreme Court has ruled that records documenting Israel’s arms dealings with Rwanda during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi will remain undisclosed. The ruling, reported by Juddah Ari Gross for the Times of Israel, says there were pressing security and foreign relations concerns that prevent releasing the documents, citing Section 9 of Israel’s FOI law. […]
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21 April 2016
DRC Assembly Includes Access Bill on Agenda
A bill on access to information has been included on the agenda for the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to activists who campaigned for its inclusion. An access bill law passed the Senate in October 2015 by the Senate and was sent to the National Assembly Nov. 2, 2015. (See […]
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21 April 2016
UN Rapporteur Scores Japan on Designated Secrets Act
United Nations Special Rapporteur David Kaye has expressed strong concerns that Japan’s Specially Designated Secrets Act (SDS) restricts the public’s right to information. He revealed his preliminary observations April 19 in Japan at the conclusion of a weeklong fact-finding trip. (Video of press conference and article in Jurist). Kaye said the act “goes further than necessary […]
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21 April 2016
FOI Notes: OGP, EU, US, India, UK, Israel, Open Data
OGP: The next OGP summit will be held in Paris Dec. 7-9, announces the French government, the incoming OGP government co-chair. Proposals for programs are invited. India: “Eleven years since the path-breaking legislation Right to Information (RTI) Act came into force, more than 300 activists seeking information against government officials, local contractors, politicians, land mafia […]
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20 April 2016
Venezuelan Commission Begins Discussing Access Bill
A special commission in Venezuela has begun discussing a draft bill (in Spanish) on access to information. The opening meeting of the Joint Committee on the Draft Law on Transparency, Disclosure and Access to Public Information was held April 14, chaired by Simon Calzadilla, second vice president of the National Assembly, acording to an account […]
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20 April 2016
Ivory Coast Commission Acts to Implement, Publicize Law
The Ivory Coast Commission for Access to Public Information (Acronym CAIDP in French) has called on all state departments to designate their information officers, conducted a series of training sessions on the law and recently created a website. Agency information officers will receive requests from users wishing to access information and the documents of public […]
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20 April 2016
Hong Kong Ombudsman Issues Summaries, TV Spots
Hong Kong Ombudsman Connie Lau has announced a new website section about complaint cases relating to the Code on Access to Information and has prepared five short videos about the Code. “From complaint cases handled in the past, we noted that some departments and organisations were not conversant enough with the requirements of the Code. […]
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19 April 2016
US Federal Advisors Urge More Leeway on Fee Waivers
By Toby McIntosh An advisory committee on the US Freedom of Information Act has recommended that government agencies should be given more administrative discretion not to charge fees. Ending two years of work, the advisory committee (which will be reconstituted) made this suggestion and others as part of a call for the Office of Management […]