What’s New
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21 June 2013
Critics Score Emerging Pakistani FOI Legislation
A developing Pakistani freedom of information law is getting poor initial reviews. A Senate subcommittee recently produced a long-awaiting national bill (text). (See previous FreedomInfo.org report.) Zahid Abdullah, Coordinator Coalition on Right to Information (CRTI), sharply criticized the bill in a statement. “There is a long negative list … and a small positive list of […]
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21 June 2013
FOI Notes: Open Contracting, Commentary, Grants, Research, etc
Open Contracting: The Open Contracting Partnership (OCP) announces a set of open contracting principles. Dennis Santiago, Executive Director of the Government Procurement Policy Board of the Philippines and OCP steering group member, is quoted: Transparency and Openness of government transactions are best manifested through the procurement information and contract data sets they make available to the public. However, […]
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21 June 2013
Ontario Commissioner Says Emails Improperly Deleted
The information commissioner of the Canadian province of Ontario has found that a top government official improperly deleted emails. Commissioner Ann Cavoukian said in a report that the chief of staff to the former minister of energy violated the Archives and Recordkeeping Act (ARA) and the records retention schedule developed for ministers’ offices by the […]
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18 June 2013
G-8 Leaders Sign Charter to Make Data More Open
The leaders of the Group of Eight countries June 18 committed to publishing government information in more useful ways, agreeing on an “Open Data Charter” and setting follow-up plans. The eleventh and final point of the summit declaration says: Governments should publish information on laws, budgets, spending, national statistics, elections and government contracts in a way that […]
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17 June 2013
FOI Notes: Funding, UK, Open Data, EU, US
Funding: The Open Society Foundations June 15 launched a $10 million Transparency Champions Challenge “to empower reformers around the world to improve government responsiveness and accountability.” The Open Society pledge of new resources to support the efforts of civil society and government transparency champions hinges on other governments, companies, and/or private foundations coming forward with […]
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17 June 2013
Nigeria Failing to Post Spending Data, Paper Says
The Nigerian federal government is consistently failing to put information about spending online, according to an article by Ajibola Hamzat in The Guardian. Under the 2010 freedom of information law, Section 2(3 and 4), government agencies must publish information including “information relating to the receipt or expenditure of public or other funds of the institution, […]
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14 June 2013
Altered Hungarian Bill Still Draws Objections
The Hungarian parliament June 11 made slight modifications to previously rejected legislation revising the freedom of information law, but critics still are raising objections. In particular, the amendment will allow public agencies too much latitude in to reject FOI claims deemed excessive, said Fanny Hidvégi, FOI and data protection director for the Hungarian Civil Liberties […]
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14 June 2013
Consortium in Jordan Plans to Push RTI Amendments
A national consortium has been formed in Jordan to push for revisions to the access to information law. The Jordan Transparency Center, the organizer of the effort, reports that 27 civil society organizations and 23 activists from law and media firms are participating. The allies recently discussed amendments proposed by the government to the parliament […]
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14 June 2013
Pakistan Subcommittee OKs Draft RTI Legislation
A subcommittee of Pakistan’s Senate Committee on Information and Broadcasting June 13 approved a draft Right to Information (RTI) Act 2013, The three-person committee rejected a last-minute request to delay from the Ministry of Defense, with one senator saying the ministry had been “contemptuous.” The Information Ministry has agreed to update the proposal in light […]
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14 June 2013
Ghana Cabinet FOI Bill Not Yet Made Public
The Ghana government has not yet made public the text of its promised freedom of information law, according to local activists. The Cabinet approved a bill June 6. (See previous FreedomInfo.org report.) The bill will be public once introduced in Parliament, which reconvened May 28. Transparency supporters are eager to see the bill in part […]
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14 June 2013
Groups Start New Initiative on Global Open Data
Five groups June 11 announced creation of the Global Open Data Initiative (GODI) “to share principles and resources for governments and societies on how to best harness the opportunities created by opening government data.” The effort is led by Fundar, Sunlight Foundation, World Wide Web Foundation, The Open Institute and Open Knowledge Foundation. “The initiative […]
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14 June 2013
Cayman Committee Backs Anonymity, Free Requests
A Cayman Islands legislative subcommittee has recommended continuing to allow anonymous requests and free processing, according to an article by Brent Fuller in the Cayman Compass. These and other recommendations have subsequently been approved by a committee of the entire Legislative Assembly in preparation for a vote by the full body. The government’s Freedom of Information […]
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13 June 2013
FOI Notes: Transparency Champions, OGP Strategy, EU, Open Data
Transparency Voices: The Guardian features 12 transparency advocates: Peru Carlos Arroyo, national co-ordinator for Peru’s Anti-Corruption Network, Lima Nigeria Faith Nwadishi, Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative board member; national co-ordinator, Publish What You Pay Bangladesh Hasibur Rahman, Management and Resources Development Initiative executive director, development worker, rights activist Mexico José Luis Moyá, consultant and landlord, Mexico […]
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12 June 2013
Open Society, Others Issue Principles on Security, RTI
The Open Society Justice Initiative and 21 international organizations have issued “Global Principles on National Security and the Right to Information.” The 50 principles include: Information should be kept secret only if its disclosure poses “a real and identifiable risk of significant harm to a legitimate national security interest” (Principle 3) Information concerning serious violations of international […]
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10 June 2013
Guyana President Appoints Information Commissioner
The president of Guyana has appointed a former attorney general, Charles Ramson Sr., as the first Commissioner of Information under the 2011 Access to Information Act. The mid-May appointment by President Donald Ramotar would appear to be step toward putting the law into effect, although it remains unclear if that is the case. Under the […]
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10 June 2013
FOI Notes: EU, Uruguay, OGP, UK, US, Open Gov
European Union: An article on transparency in the European Union by Deirdre Curtin, professor of European Law at the University of Amsterdam. Open Government: “A Citizen’s Guide to Open Government, E-Government, and Government 2.0” – a listing of resources compiled by the University of North Carolina school of public administration. Uruguay: The Uruguayan 2013 Online Transparency […]
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10 June 2013
Scottish Minister Offers Extension of FOI Law
The Scottish government has proposed that the freedom of information law should cover cultural, sports and leisure services set up by local authorities. The Scottish Liberal Democrats called the move “too timid” and Information Commissioner Rosemary Agnew suggested a broader approach. Debate about covering private organizations that perform functions for the government has been at […]
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10 June 2013
U.S. Court Overturns Decision in Trade Case
Quoting George Washington, a U.S. appeals court June 7 denied access to a document concerning unsuccessful trade negotiations conducted in the 1990s and 2000s. A three-judge panel overturned a lower court ruling giving deference to the opinion of the U.S. Trade Representative that disclosure of a past position could jeopardize future negotiations and limit the […]
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7 June 2013
Most Indian Parties Upset Over RTI Purview Ruling
Most Indian political parties have reacted negatively to the Central Information Commission ruling bringing them under the right to information law. Expecting an appeal, one of the two plaintiffs, the Association for Democratic Reforms, June 5 filed in the Delhi High Court to preempt any stay of the CIC order without an opportunity to be […]
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7 June 2013
EU Court Backs Secrecy in International Trade Talks
The General Court of the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg June 7 upheld secrecy in trade negotiations and privileged access for business and trade associations. The plaintiff, the watchdog group Corporate Europe Observatory, said in a summary that the court “concludes that the European Commission did not violate EU rules when withholding information about […]