What’s New
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16 September 2013
Paraguay’s Ombudsman Proposes Access Legislation
The House of Representatives in Paraguay is considering a draft law on access to public information. The legislation was proposed by the ombudsman, Manuel Páez Monges, and is sponsored by Rep. Víctor González Segovia. The proposal is being studied in committee on Legislation, Constitutional Affairs and the Press and Propaganda, according to an ABC news […]
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16 September 2013
FOI Notes: Slovak Republic, United States, India, Budget Transparency
Slovak Republic: The U.S. Sunlight Foundation issues its first transparency case study on public procurement in the Slovak Republic. “Through our first case study, we’ve already found that online data publication can positively impact the growth of a region’s NGO community (which, in turn, can increase civil sector oversight), and we are excited about what […]
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12 September 2013
Kuwaiti Parliamentarians Introduce Information Bill
Five members of parliament in Kuwait have submitted a draft right to information law, according to a report in Arab Times. The bill was offered by MPs Riyadh Al-Adsani, Dr Abdul-Kareem Al-Kandari, Hamdan Al-Azemi, Osama Al-Tahous and Mohammad Al-Hadiyah. The draft addresses public information recordkeeping and among other things would require authorities to publish a […]
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12 September 2013
Spanish Parliament Approves FOI Bill; Senate Next
The lower house of the Spanish parliament on Sept. 12 approved a Law on Transparency and Good Governance. Approval came on a divided vote after attempts to amend the bill were turned back. Critics called the bill insufficient and opaque. The bill, presented by Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria, now goes to the […]
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12 September 2013
President Zuma Returns Secrecy Bill to Assembly
South African President Jacob Zuma Sept. 12 referred the controversial Protection of State Information Bill back to the National Assembly to address constitutionality issues. “It is my opinion that the bill would not pass constitutional muster,” he said. Zuma’s move was welcomed by critics, who see it as another chance to amend the bill, but […]
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11 September 2013
FOI Notes: RTK Day, OGP Summit Attendees, Open Gov’t Standards, Procurement, Publications
RTKD 2013: There is now an online form to let everyone know about your events for Right to Know Day 2013, Sept. 28. As they come in, they will be placed on a map on the website. Information Commissioners/RTI oversight bodies to be discussed on RTKD2013. Official hashtag #RTKD2013 OGP: A preliminary list of the […]
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11 September 2013
OGP Forming Working Group on Access to Information
The Open Government Partnership is inviting participation in a thematic working group on access to information. OGP is organizing five “pilot” thematic working groups. The goal is “to support the creation and implementation of more ambitious open government commitments as part of OGP national action plans.” The working groups are each co-led by at least […]
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11 September 2013
OGP Issues First IRM Report; South Africa Gets Criticized
South Africa’s national action plan as a member of the Open Government Partnership has been only partly completed, focused on easy goals and did not adequately involve civil society, according to the report on an independent evaluator. The report is the very first one done under the OGP’s Independent Reporting Mechanism and was prepared by Ralph Mathekga […]
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11 September 2013
CIMA Report Makes Suggestions for Improving FOI Implementation
Many freedom of information are “exemplary on paper” but “poorly implemented,” according to a new report that offers a variety of recommendations aimed at “breathing life” into FOI laws. Authors Craig L. LaMay, Robert J. Freeman and Richard N. Winfield aim to provide a list of “practical” suggestions in the 55-page report was sponsored by […]
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6 September 2013
Georgia Decree Mandates More Proactive Disclosure
The government of Georgia has published a decree concerning online requests for information and proactive disclosure of information. The decree published July 26 follows through on commitments made in the context of Georgia’s action plan as a member of the Open Government Partnership. The decree (in English) contains seven sections, defining standards of Public information disclosure, rules […]
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5 September 2013
Indian Court Reverses Qualifications Decision
The Indian Supreme Court Sept. 3 retracted most of its controversial ruling seeking to dictate the qualifications for membership on information commissions. The court had ruled that only retired judges or those having legal training could be appointed as information commissioners at the Central Information Commission and at the state level. Justices A.K. Patnaik and […]
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5 September 2013
OGP Announces Reviewers for 39 National Action Plans
The Open Government Partnership has announced the names of a new group of researchers who will examine the fulfillment of the action plans of 39 countries. While releasing the names on the OGP blog, an OGP official declined to disclose any information besides the names of the selected reviewers to FreedomInfo.org, citing OGP capacity issues […]
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5 September 2013
Indian RTI Amendments Referred to Committee
Legislation to exempt the political parties from coverage under the Indian Right to Information Act on Sept. 5 referred to a parliamentary standing committee for further consideration. “The government has decided that there should be more discussion on this Bill. We will bring this Bill in Parliament in the Winter Session,” said V Narayanasamy, […]
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5 September 2013
FOI Notes: Legislative Transparency, CIMA FOI Forum, Open Data Census
Legislative Transparency: The new Open Government Partnership Legislative Openness Working Group (LOWG) will hold a webinar from 09:00 – 10:30 a.m. EST (13:00 GMT) on Sept. 10. Register HERE . Presenters will be Juan Pablo Olmedo of the Bicameral Commission on Transparency of the Congress of Chile, Scott Hubli of the National Democratic Institute for International […]
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5 September 2013
Senate Panel Sets Course to Process FOI Legislation
A Senate committee plans to speed up public hearings on the freedom of information with the goal of passage before Congress goes on break starting Sept. 25, Senate President Franklin Drilon said Sept. 2, according to media reports. The committee on public information and mass media has begun hearings on the FOI bill. Senate passage […]
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30 August 2013
Pakistani Committee OKs Freedom of Information Bill
A Senate committee in Pakistan has approved a freedom of information bill. The Senate Committee on Information and Broadcasting approved the bill on Aug. 28 after eight months of deliberations. Committee chairman Kamil Ali Agha is expected to propose it in the Senate as a multi-party bill. The committee rejected a request from the defense […]
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27 August 2013
Vanuatu Passes RTI Policy, Makes Plans to Adopt Law
The South Pacific nation of Vanuatu has approved a Right to Information (RTI) policy, according to an Aug. 21 article in Island Business. “The RTI policy commits Government to release all information to the public, except where releasing information would be a breach of security or privacy, or would compromise commercial in confidence,” according to […]
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27 August 2013
New Regulation in Nepal Praised; NIC Lacks Officials
New regulations on right to information in Nepal are being welcomed, but vacancies at the National Information Commission are becoming an issue. The revised regulations make 13 positive accomplishments, according to the advocacy group Freedom Forum, which was part of a task force that recommended the changes. Many of the improvements are to the request-handling […]
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27 August 2013
Pakistani Province Issues RTI Ordinance; Changes Urged
The Pakistani province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Aug. 13 promulgated a Right to Information Ordinance. The ordinance (official site) (Word version) is better an earlier version, according to advocates, but they said it still needs improvements. The ordinance, which has a 90-daye life-span, must be presented before the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly for review. Critics believe that […]
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27 August 2013
FOI Notes: Manning, World Bank, UK, US, Open Data, OGP, India, Grants
Whistle-Blowing: A post on the Open Society Foundations website says the 35 year sentence for Bradley Manning is out of step with the punishment he would have received in other democracies, and certainly not in line with international law, including as the Tshwane Principles. IFTI Watch: The World Bank has released a new report — […]