What’s New
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27 August 2013
Indian Parliamentary Panel to Review RTI Amendment
A committee of the Indian Parliament will review proposed amendments to exempt political parties from the Right to Information Act. Getting committee consideration was a key demand of opponents of the bill, which is supported by all the major parties. “I have written to Speaker Lok Sabha (Meira Kumar) to refer the RTI Bill to […]
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27 August 2013
MISA Botswana Protests Continuing Delays on FOI
The Media Institute of Southern Africa Botswana Chapter (MISA Botswana) has urged the government to stop delaying consideration of freedom of information legislation. The group said in a statement that it wanted “to register its disappointment on the continued postponement of the tabling of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Draft Bill by Government.” The chapter […]
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27 August 2013
Groups Urge UNCAC Parties to Promote Access Regimes
A number of nongovernmental organizations Aug. 23 urged parties to the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) to promote adoption of access to information laws and increase the availability of information on beneficial ownership of private companies. A letter sent to members of the UNCAC Working Group on Prevention was signed by Access Info Europe and […]
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27 August 2013
India Expands Scope of Online Request Portal
India on Aug. 21 made possible the online filing of right to information requests in applications in all central ministries and departments. Previously the rtionline.gov.in portal was available only for 40 ministries, departments and commissions. The government launched the portal earlier this year. “The portal will now be open to entertain questions under the RTI Act […]
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25 August 2013
Mexican House Passes FOI Bill With Altered Amendment
The Mexican House of Delegates on Aug. 22 overwhelmingly approved freedom of information legislation after a modification was made to a controversial provision that activists had said would undermine positive reforms. The House bill still would permit the government’s top legal official to ask the Supreme Court to override decision of Federal Institute for Access to […]
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22 August 2013
Groups Condemn Amendments Passed by Mexican House
Supporters of Mexico‘s freedom of information law are slamming a legislative change approved by several congressional committee that would make the Supreme Court the final legal authority in some instances instead of the Federal Institute for Access to Information (IFAI). In a statement issued Aug. 21, the Transparency Collective and México Informate, a coalition 15 […]
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16 August 2013
Kenya Debating Transparency of Natural Resource Contracts
Very few countries disclose the contracts made with private companies to develop natural resources, but pressure for more transparency has been on the rise, as is now on display in Kenya. The Kenyan government recently cancelled contracts with mining companies over questions about their adequacy and transparency. The International Monetary Fund had been pressuring Kenya to disclose […]
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16 August 2013
FOI Notes: Surveillance, Research, Model OGP; U.S., EU, Australia
Human Rights and Communications Surveillance: Access, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Privacy International are leading a new initiative focused on disseminating new international principles around human rights and communications surveillance.”Called the International Principles on the Application of Human Rights to Communications Surveillance, approximately 100 NGOs from around the world have already shown support and many of […]
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16 August 2013
UK ICO Issues Guidance on Requests for Personal Data
The United Kingdom Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) on Aug. 8 published new guidance for organizations to help them deal with requests from individuals for their data. Under the Data Protection Act, anyone has the right to find out what information an organization holds about them by making a “subject access request.” This allows individuals to […]
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14 August 2013
Texas OKs Message Boards for Officials to Communicate
The U.S. state of Texas has adopted a new law permitting government officials to establish online messaging systems to communicate. Another bill passed by the legislature defines the standards that governs the disclosure of public officials’ emails and brings state contractors under the Public Information Act. The messaging legislation (Senate bill 1297) authorizes electronic written […]
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13 August 2013
Indian Government Offers Bill to Exempt Parties from RTI
Legislation was introduced Aug. 12 in the Indian lower house of parliament (Lok Sabha) by the United Progressive Alliance to exempt political parties from the Right to Information Act. The bill would a June 3, 2013, order of the Central Information Commission deeming India’s six national political parties to be “public authorities” under the RTI […]
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13 August 2013
Punjab Seeks Comment on New Version of RTI Bill
The Government of Punjab, a state in Pakistan, has requested public comment on “The Punjab Freedom of Information Act 2013.” The draft was issued Aug. 7 and is available here and here. It has been approved in principle by the Cabinet. Public comments were requested within 15 days to dgprmh@gmail.com. In the state of Khyber […]
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13 August 2013
FOI Notes: Survey, Open Economics, Open Data, UNESCO Research Call
Survey: “Should FOIA requesters see responsive documents before they go online?” – the question posed in a Sunlight Foundation online poll. OGP: The Open Government Partnership has started a Bright Spots Competition to identify and showcase open government initiatives at th Oct. 31- Nov. 1 Annual Summit. Visit the Bright Spot Competition page for details. Open Economics Principles: The […]
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5 August 2013
Bolivian Government Proposes Transparency Law
The Bolivian government has forwarded a Transparency and Access to Information Law to the Bolivian Congress. The proposal (text in Spanish) has generated some criticisms, such as from journalists, the Asociación Nacional de la Prensa, and the Bolivian ombudsman. Among other things, there are concerns that environmental impact assessment information would not be released and […]
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5 August 2013
Stage Set for Consideration of Philippines FOI Bill
A few new actors have been given lead roles in the long-running saga in the Philippines over whether a freedom of information bill can pass Congress. Rep. Jorge Almonte will chair the committee on public information, which last year delayed action on the bill under the chairmanship of Rep. Ben Evardone. FOI supporters had pushed […]
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5 August 2013
FOI Notes: Research, Contest, U.S. Aid, Employment
Research: Transparency is the topic of seven articles in the July issue of Development Policy Review. The “Gaps and Conclusions” section of the first article, by John Gaventa and Rosemary McGee , says: While the evidence base on accountability and transparency may be underdeveloped, this does not mean that either it or TAIs themselves are […]
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5 August 2013
Harvard Awarded $8.1 Million for Transparency Research
Harvard University researchers have been awarded $8.1 million for a five-year project to research the impact of community transparency and accountability initiatives on health and other social sector outcomes, beginning in Indonesia and Tanzania. The Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University announced that it […]
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5 August 2013
First Guyana Information Commissioner Sworn In
Former Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Justice Charles Ramson was sworn in July 15 as Commissioner of Information by President Donald Ramotar. The Commissioner of Information post was created by the Access to Information Act of 2011, passed in September 2011. The appointment of the commissioner is another step toward implementation of the law, […]
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2 August 2013
Irish Government Advances Bill to Amend FOI Statute
The Irish government has unveiled the text of its bill to change the Freedom of Information law, and while the expanded coverage and other provisions are generating applause from the pro-access community, one clause is raising eyebrows. The provision says agencies should take “reasonable steps” to search electronic records, but would not be required “to […]
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2 August 2013
40 Recommendations Made in Report on Australian FOI Law
By Peter Timmins Timmins is an Australian lawyer and consultant who works on FOI and privacy protection issues in Sydney, NSW. His report first appeared Aug. 2 in his Open and Shut blog. Attorney General Mark Dreyfus today released the Hawke report on the review of the operation of the Freedom of Information Act and the […]