Posts Tagged ‘rti legislation’
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23 November 2011
Zambia Pledges Open Process to Develop FOI Bill
Positive signs continue in Zambia for freedom of information with a top governmental official promising an open process to develop the bill, a pledge of support from the World Bank and a Catholic bishop urging its enactment. Information, Broadcasting and Tourism Minister Given Lubinda said Nov. 22 that the Patriotic Front government intends to constitute a […]
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22 November 2011
South African Parliament Approves Secrecy Bill
South Africa’s parliament Nov. 22 voted to approve the Protection of State Information Bill, moving it closer to enactment and to promised court challenges. The ruling African National Conference pushed the “secrecy bill” through on a 229-107 vote despite defections by several ANC members. The ANC rejected calls to change the bill, which now goes before […]
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21 November 2011
President Rousseff Signs Access to Information Law
President Dilma Rousseff Nov. 18 signed into law a Brazilian access to information law. The new law (in English and in Portuguese) will become effective in 180 days. Rousseff vetoed two provisions: a mandatory notification to the Public Prosecutor’s Office in cases when access to information essential to safeguard human rights is denied and another concerning […]
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16 November 2011
South African Government Brings POIB Up for Debate
The South African Parliament on Nov 16 began debate on the controversial protection of information. While government ministers called the measure necessary and not aimed at the media, critics said that the government had failed to consult widely as promised and that the bill’s faults remained. A vote next week is expected with court challenges […]
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7 November 2011
Aquino Equivocation Frustrates FOI Bill Supporters
Philippines President Benigno Aquino Nov. 4 continued to voice doubts for months about freedom of information legislation, saying in a YouTube interview that “the devil is in the details.” He continued, “When does it help the interests of the people and when can it inflict harm?” Still, he said his administration is consulting in an […]
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26 October 2011
Brazilian Senate Approves Access to Information Bill
The Brazilian Senate Oct. 25 approved an access to information bill after months of delay during which opponents sought to weaken it. President Dilma Rousseff is expected to sign the bill (in English and in Portuguese), which will implement the right to access provision in the Constitution after eight years of effort to get such […]
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21 October 2011
Ghana VP Calls for Passage of RTI Law; Advocacy Continues
The Vice President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, on Oct. 12 urged Parliament to pass a right to information bill, according to a report in Modern Ghana. “He said Cabinet had already approved the bill, and that there was the need for Parliament to pass it into law to support efforts at fighting corruption in […]
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21 October 2011
EU Parliament Committee Makes Small Changes in 1049
A committee of the European Union Parliament has modified the scope of the access to documents Regulation 1049/2001 to slightly expand its scope. In addition, there are some signs that the larger debate over access to EU documents is being rekindled. As amended by the Constitutional Affairs Committee opinion, the regulation will cover EU offices, […]
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14 October 2011
Indian Prime Minister Urges Critical Look at RTI Act
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Oct. 14 called for a “critical look” at the six-year-old Right to Information Act. He expressed concern about a “flood” of requests, about disclosure inhibiting the deliberations of government officials, and about the coverage of private-public partnerships. Singh’s comments before the annual convention of Information Commissioners were quickly criticized as […]
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14 October 2011
FOI Law Proposals Being Developed in Egypt
Qute a few proposals for an Egyptian freedom of information law are being drafted, most privately, but action on them is not expected until after a new constitution is adopted sometime late next year. Transparency advocates are pushing for inclusion of a right to information clause in constitution. The drafting of FOI law proposals is […]
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14 October 2011
Rehman Offers RTI Bill in Pakistan National Assembly
Member of Parliament Sherry Rehman Oct. 11 introduced a right to information bill in the Pakistan National Assembly. Her bill, however, does not yet have the support of the government. The government “did not oppose the private member’s bill,” noted one newspaper report. “It is ironic that it has been tabled as a private member’s […]
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14 October 2011
Government FOI Proposal in Bahamas Prompts Criticisms
A recent freedom of information proposal by the government of the Bahamas is generating criticism as too weak. Member of Parliament Fred Mitchell told The Tribune that the bill introduced Oct. 5 gives the government too much power over requests for information and limits judicial review. “The Commissioner for Information can’t overrule the Minister’s certificate […]
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13 October 2011
Zambian Government Pledges to Offer FOI Legislation
The government of Zambia will soon propose a freedom of information law, according to officials. Vice President Guy Scott on Oct. 7 told journalists that the Patriotic Front government will table a bill before Parliament within 90 days, according to several news reports, in The Times of Zambia and The Lusaka Times. Scott was quoted […]
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6 October 2011
Banisar Outlines Global FOI Challenges in ICIC Closing
Many of the future challenges for freedom of information are on the global stage, stated David Banisar, senior legal counsel of Article 19, in the final speech at the 7th International Conference of Information Commissioners in Ottawa, Canada. The agenda should include pushing for more information in the environmental context, transparency at the United Nations […]
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30 September 2011
Egyptian Group Proposes Draft FOI Law for Country
The Egyptian human rights law firm the United Group on Sept. 28 released a draft of a proposed law on freedom of information for Egypt. “Freedom of information is essential to democracy, and Egypt will not be truly democratic until freedom of information is guaranteed,” said United Group Senior Partner Negad El-Borai at a press […]
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30 September 2011
Islamabad Declaration Seeks Pakistan Movement on FOI
A declaration issued Sept. 28 from an international conference on right to information held in Islamabad, Pakistan, calls for the federal and provincial governments to enact right to information laws. The “Islamabad Declaration” outlines the basics of what should be in good RTI statutes, according to an article by Myra Imran in The News. The […]
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29 September 2011
Cambodian Activists Draft Second Proposed Law
Freedom of information supporters in Cambodia have redrafted a proposal for the country’s first FOI law and hope for parliamentary consideration. The latest draft access to information law was drafted by the opposition party after the ruling party in late 2010 said the first version was too weak and full of mistakes, according to a […]
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27 September 2011
7 FOI Laws Pass in Past Year; 18 More Under Consideration
By Toby McIntosh Freedom of information laws were created in seven countries in the year since the last Right to Know Day, notable positive changes were recorded in four other countries and active efforts to pass laws are under way in about 18 nations, according to a FreedomInfo.org survey. Since International RTK Day 2010, first-time […]
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22 September 2011
After Disasters, Japan FOI Reformers Wait Patiently
By Lawrence Repeta Repeta is a professor at Meiji University, Tokyo, and a FreedomInfo.org contributing editor When the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) took power in a historic landslide election in August, 2009, there were high expectations that party leaders would adopt a series of reforms that would mark a significant change from the Japan […]
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22 September 2011
Access Advocates Organize, Raise Support in Paraguay
By Julia Fernández Cruz Cruz is a staff member of the Alianza Regional por la Libre Expresión e Información (Regional Alliance for Freedom of Expression and Information) The Alianza Regional por la Libre Expresión e Información has been supporting, since 2008, the Promoting Group on Access to Public Information (GIAI), a coalition of Paraguayan civil society organizations […]