What’s New
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9 March 2016
Justice Department Opposed 2014 FOI Reform Legislation
The Obama administration lobbied against legislation to reform the Freedom of Information Act that died in late 2014. DOJ’s positions, unacknowledged at the time, are described in documents obtained through a FOIA lawsuit by Freedom of the Press Foundation. (Full DOJ memo laying out opposition to FOIA reform and 114 pages of other FOIA’d documents.) The […]
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9 March 2016
Tunisan Groups Criticize Draft FOI Legislation
A coalition of groups have blasted a proposed right to information law in Tunisia. The bill includes vague and unconstitutional exceptions, according to a statement by the National Union of Tunisian Journalists, Al Bawsala, the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network, the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES), and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), […]
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9 March 2016
OGP Body Recommends Declaring Azerbaijan Inactive
Azerbaijan should be declared an “inactive” member of the Open Government Partnership, an OGP subcommittee has recommended. Such a designation would be the first time the OGP has disciplined a member for not adhering to OGP principles. The recommendation will be taken up by the OGP Steering Committee May 3-4, according to the minutes of […]
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3 March 2016
Karina Banfi Proposes FOI Bill in Argentina’s Legislature
Argentinian legislator Karina Banfi has introduced a Draft Law on Access to Public Information (File 6593-16). Noting that the right of access to public information is a human right, Banfi stressed that the law is vital to more democratic forms of communication between civil society and the state, according to an article. The development of […]
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3 March 2016
Human Rights Body Questions Provision in Mexican FOI Law
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has expressed reservations about a provision in the new Mexican freedom of information law. The comments are included in a report entitled “The Human Rights Situation in Mexico.” “Although the Law contains a prohibition against hiding or denying information related to gross human rights violations, the Commission points out […]
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3 March 2016
FOI Notes: OGP Working Group Election, 30 More Items (Got Carried Away)
OGP Access Working Group: The OGP Access to Information Working Group announces a process for creating a new steering committee “to support implementation of the work plan, help set direction for the working group, and assure a more robust and vibrant engagement of different members and stakeholders.” The process envisions self-nomination and an election by […]
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3 March 2016
Armenian Court Rules Against Fees for Personal Information
Armenia’s Constitutional Court has ruled that the government can’t charge persons who request their personal information. The Freedom of Information Center brought the case against the State Cadastre Committee, according to a posting. The Constitutional Court annulled Article 71 and Article 32 (2) of the Law on State Registration of Rights of Property to the […]
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2 March 2016
Hungarian Parliament Passes Big Exemptions From FOIA
The Hungarian parliament on March 1 approved new disclosure exemptions for the state-owned postal service and for foundations established by the National Bank of Hungary, according to articles such as one in Hungary Today. The post office, which also provides financial and insurance services, will no longer be required to divulge public data if it or […]
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2 March 2016
Serbian Commissioner Puts 13 Datasets on New Portal
The Serbian information commissioner has launched an open data site. In a press release (Serbian), the commissioner’s office said thirteen datasets have been published, including a list of the 11,000 public institutions covered by the FOI law. Other data published concerns the complaints about information requests and their status the office received, as well as […]
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2 March 2016
Nigerian Judge Orders Release of Data on Looted Funds
The Nigerian Federal High Court has ruled that the government must disclose information about stolen public funds, rejecting a government argument that the request covered a period before enactment of the freedom of information act. The court ordered the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to “ensure that his government, and the governments of former President […]
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2 March 2016
Sri Lankan Access Bill Going to Parliament on March 8
The right to information bill will be presented to Parliament on March 8, Sri Lanka’s Mass Media and Parliamentary Reforms Deputy Minister Karunaratne Paranavithana has said. He said all Provincial Councils have endorsed the draft bill referred to them. “There was a slight delay in the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) in giving consent to the […]
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1 March 2016
Survey Examines Influence of Governance Datasets
A new website aggregating dozens of datasets assessing different aspects of governance was introduced March 1 by the Global Data Alliance, which also announced the results of a study about what data is influential and who’s listening. The most influential dataset was the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, according to the responses to an international […]
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1 March 2016
UK Commission Says Few Changes Needed in FOIA
A controversial ad hoc commission in the United Kingdom has surprised critics by not recommending many changes to the freedom of information act. The final report issued March 1 was a welcome relief to those who had charged that the commission was stacked in favor of undercutting FOI Also welcome was a statement by the Cabinet […]
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25 February 2016
Malawi Groups Urge Defeat of Revised Access Legislation
The Malawi Parliament should turn down an access to information bill recently approved by the Cabinet, according to four advocacy groups. Among other things, they object to charging for information and making the law prospective only. The Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) and the Centre for Development of People (Cedep) in a statement […]
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25 February 2016
FOI Notes: Research, Examples, OGP Elections, National News, More
FOI Conference/Call for Papers: Proposals are being invited for papers to be given at a conference, “Freedom of Information Laws on the Global Stage: Past, Present and Future,” to be held Nov. 4, 2016, at Southwestern Law School, Los Angeles, Cal. See announcement. Deadline for abstract is April 4. “Papers should have an international or […]
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24 February 2016
World Bank Finds Low Transparency in Rulemaking
“Poorer countries have significantly less transparent and consultative rulemaking processes than richer counterparts,” according to World Bank data based on a survey of practices in 185 countries, just published on its Citizen Engagement in Rulemaking website. “Only 27% of low income economies measured give notice of proposed business regulations to the general public and publish […]
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24 February 2016
Italian Groups Submit Petition Objecting to Decree
Italian transparency advocates critical of a proposed government decree on access to information have submitted a petition (still open) with 60,000 signatories objecting to it. Representatives of FOIA4Italy, a 30-group coalition, voiced their objections at a meeting with government officials and parliamentarians, according to a report by the group. The group outlined its 10 main concerns, […]
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24 February 2016
Venezuela Draft Access Law Heads to National Assembly
A top official of Venezuela has announced plans to begin consideration of a Draft Organic Law of Transparency and Access to Public Information. The draft text (in Spanish) was introduced by the second vice president of the National Assembly, deputy Simon Calzadilla, who said the draft will go a joint committee composed of the Finance Committee, […]
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24 February 2016
Three Appointments Bring Indian CIC to Full Strength
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appointed three retired civil servants to the Central Information Commission. The three have “spent decades perfecting the art of secrecy,” according to a skeptical article in The Hindustan Times by Aloke Tikku. The appointments will bring a full complement of members to the commission for the first time 2005, […]
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24 February 2016
UN Experts Propose Access to Information Indicator
A United Nations panel has recommended that access to information be one measurement among 229 other “indicators” of national progress toward sustainable development. The recommendation represented a come-from-behind victory for access advocates. Although access to information had been included as a target (16.10) in the 2015 UN Sustainable Development Goals, it was not identified as […]