What’s New
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28 February 2014
Mexican Senate Declines to Reappoint Commissioners
The Mexican Senate has rejected the requests of the four current commissioners of the Federal Institute for Access to Information and Data Protection (IFAI) to stay in office. The four commissioners — Sigrid Arzt, Maria Elena Perez-Jaen, Angel Trinidad Zaldivar and Gerardo Laveaga (the chairman) – will likely be gone by the first week in […]
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28 February 2014
UN Body Includes Access to Information on Agenda
The United Nations Open Working Group on Sustainable Development has included “improved public access to information” among many topics addressed in a “focus areas” document announced Feb. 21. The relevant focus area, among 19, states: Focus area 19. Peaceful and non-violent societies, capable institutions Creating peaceful, non-violent and inclusive societies, based on respect for all […]
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28 February 2014
Study Rates Chinese Government Websites
The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) on Feb. 24 issued a report evaluating government agencies on information transparency. The National Railway Administration ranked last, according to the blue book report, with a score of zero out of 100, according to a Global Times article. Number on in the index was the Ministry of Education, […]
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28 February 2014
US House Approves Bill to Improve FOIA Operations
The US House Feb. 25 voted 410-0 to pass a bill (H.R. 1211) intended to improve the operation of the Freedom of Information Act. No similar bill exists in the Senate, but the Senate Judiciary Committee is planning to hold a hearing on FOIA on March 11. FOIA advocates are hoping that a Senate bill […]
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28 February 2014
FOI Notes: World Bank, Honesty Oscars, Contracting, Big Data
IFTI Watch: The Bank Information Center has updated its how-to guide called “Unlocking the World Bank’s Access to Information Policy.” The principal author of the “toolkit” is Veronique Danforth. Honesty Oscars: The Accountability Lab and ONE is conducting voting for the Honesty Oscars 2014 Feb. 24-28 “to honor groundbreaking people and creative that make our […]
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21 February 2014
House Group Starts Working on Philippines FOI Bill
Slow progress has been made by a Philippines House Committee to write a freedom of information bill. The Technical Working Group appointed last year began substantive talks on the bill for the first time Feb. 18, several days after a self-imposed Feb. 14 deadline for completing the job. After getting through the first six sections, the […]
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21 February 2014
EU Court Rules for ECB, Against Bloomberg News
The European Union Court of Justice in a Feb. 6 decision rejected an appeal of a lower court decision saying the European Central Bank does not need to disclose its reports on how Greece used derivatives to hide its debt. The suit was brought in December 2010 by Bloomberg News. “European taxpayers, bearing the cost of […]
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21 February 2014
Fiji FOI Decree Expected Soon, Attorney General Says
Fiji’s Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says an access information decree will be issued in a few months, according to report by Shanal Sivan for FBC News. Sayed-Khaiyum noted a provision for freedom of information under the 1997 constitution. “He says they are currently compiling some important documents and decrees, before the elections, after which they […]
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21 February 2014
FOI Notes: Research Papers, Open Data, OGP, Sunshine Week
Implementation Guidelines: The Centre for Law and Democracy and the Indonesian Center for Environmental Law have releasing two sets of guidelines “designed to assist Indonesian public bodies overcome the major challenges associated with implementing the right to information (RTI) legislation Indonesia adopted in 2008. One guideline provides an overall roadmap of what public bodies need […]
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17 February 2014
Application of Nigerian FOI Law to States Contested
Whether the new Nigerian freedom of information law automatically applies to the states remains an issue in the courts and the subject of lawyerly debates. One court ruling held that the 2011 FOI law did apply to the states. (See previous FreedomInfo.org report.) A judge in Oyo ruled in November that the federal FOI law […]
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17 February 2014
Brazil Making Plans to Monitor New Law
Brazil is planning to make improvements in managing its new law on access to information, according to a Brazilian official involved in implementing the 2011 law. Brazilian officials are looking to better utilize its computerized request system according to Otavio Moreira de Castro Neves, a Brazilian official in the Office of the Comptroller General who spoke […]
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17 February 2014
Cost-Conscious Isle of Man Consults on Draft FOI Bill
The Isle of Man on Feb. 10 began a six-week public consultation on proposed freedom of information legislation drafted with an eye on potential costs. Chief Minister Allan Bell said in the announcement explains that the bill strikes a balance between the competing demands of openness, confidentiality and affordability. “The Council of Ministers remains committed […]
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17 February 2014
FOI Notes, Sierra Leone, US, India, EU, OGP
Sierra Leone: Sierra Leone’s new RTI law is tied as 5th strongest in the world, according to an analysis by the Centre for Law and Democracy. The law scored 124 out of a possible maximum of 150 points on the RTI Rating, an analytical tool developed by CLD and its partner organisation, Access Info India: […]
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17 February 2014
OGP Subcommittee Works on Organizational Issues, Funding
The Open Government Partnership is continuing to refine its structure and procedures, build its financial base and set long-term goals, according to minutes of a subcommittee meeting held Jan. 28-29 in Mexico City, Mexico. Among other decisions, the subcommittee recommended that for the first time, the OGP should impose a slight penalty for member countries […]
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14 February 2014
Oman Panel Discusses Draft Information Access Legislation
Oman’s Shura Council’s Committee on Media and Culture has discussed a draft information access law , according to a brief report in The Oman Tribune. Committee Chairman Hamouda Bin Mohammed Al Harsosi “commended members of the technical team for drafting the law on the right of information access, wishing that the current session would be […]
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14 February 2014
Mexican President Signs Transparency Reforms
President Enrique Peña Nieto on Feb. 7 signed into law the new transparency reforms strengthening the Federal Institute for Access to Information (IFAI). The signing came at a ceremony. See reports (in Spanish) in CNN and El Universal. In an interview on CNN Miguel Pulido of FUNDAR welcomed the reform as “a message that we […]
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14 February 2014
FOI Notes: Algorithms, Contracting, Open Data, Funder Transparency, OGP
Algorithmic Transparency: Nick Diakopoulos, of the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University Journalism School, has written a report in which he says, “Algorithms, driven by vast troves of data, are the new power brokers in society.” In his conclusion, he advises: Next time you hear about software or an algorithm being used to […]
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12 February 2014
Lithuania, Malta, Turkey Fall Behind in OGP Process
Lithuania, Malta and Turkey have failed to meet their commitments as members of the Open Government Partnership, the OGP acknowledged in an unusual public statement issued Feb. 11. Three countries appear to be drop-outs from “Cohort 2” – a group of countries that joined the OGP at about the same time. They faced the same […]
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12 February 2014
CIC Orders Six Parties to Comply With RTI Act
India’s Central Information Commission Feb. 7 asked the six national parties to explain what they have done to fulfill a June 2013 CIC for them to comply with the Right to Information Act. The Commission asked the parties to provide details of their actions within four weeks, according to media reports such as one in […]
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6 February 2014
China Issues Regulations Implementing Secrecy Law
Long-awaited implementing regulations under China’s State Secrecy Law have been published. The Chinese media characterized them as a measure to boost government transparency, but critics questioned them. The regulations (in Chinese) impose conditions for classification and set deadlines for de-classifications. There appears to be no system for citizens to challenge classification decisions and withholding of information on […]