News
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9 December 2013
A Blow to Transparency; Japan Passes Secrecy Bill
By Joel Rheuben Rheuben is an Australian lawyer resident in Japan. Japan’s “State Secrecy Bill”, previously reported on here, passed the upper house of Japan’s legislature on Dec. 6 to become law, even as large groups of protestors jostled with police outside. Public interest in the now-State Secrets Law had soared in recent weeks, helped […]
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9 December 2013
FOI Notes: Open2063 Initiative, Processing Information Report, Guatemala
Open2063: The Open Institute and Africa Freedom of Information Centre have announced the Open2063 initiative (www.open2063.org). The African Union is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and looking to define the future of the continent over the next 50 years, in an AU-driven initiative called Agenda2063. Open2063 is an initiative to build a network of […]
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6 December 2013
Canadian Commissioner Says Controls Needed for IM
Controls should be placed on instant messaging “to preserve government records and respect the federal access to information law,” according to a report by Suzanne Legault, Information Commissioner of Canada, issued Nov. 28. The recommendations already have been rejected by the government. “After investigating the use of wireless devices and instant messaging in 11 federal […]
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6 December 2013
FOIA Reform Featured in New U.S. OGP Action Plan
By Toby McIntosh The Obama administration Dec. 6 proposed five steps to “modernize” the freedom of information act. The ideas appear in the second U.S. national action plan prepared as a member of the Open Government Partnership. In an unexpected development, the plan includes a series of commitments related to foreign surveillance efforts. Regarding freedom […]
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5 December 2013
Swedish Parliament Passes Amendments to Access Law
By Staffan Dahllöf This article appeared first in Wobbing EU on Nov. 21. The Swedish parliament Riksdagen that in 1766 saw the birth of the first law on freedom of information ever, has adopted a new limitation of access to documents. Documents may be withheld in order not to ”deteriorate” Swedish interests in international relations. […]
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4 December 2013
Angola FOI Law Found Wanting in AFIC Analysis
The Angola freedom of information law “bears numerous critical deficiencies relative to regional standards,” according to a detailed analysis by the Africa Freedom of Information Centre. “In general, the Angola Law appears to provide only the most limited expression of the right to information,” the report concludes. “In its relatively few pages, it fails sufficiently […]
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2 December 2013
OGP to Skip 2014 Summit, According to SC Minutes
The Open Government Partnership won’t hold its next summit until 2015, according to the recently published minutes of the Oct. 29 London meeting of the Steering Committee. The minutes summarize an inconclusive debate on a proposal to “set up a short-term, internal OGP task force on the issue of safeguarding civic space.” (See previous FreedomInfo.org […]
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2 December 2013
FOI Notes: FOI Research, US, EU, PuzzledbyPolicy
FOI and Youth: An Access Info report about limiting access to information to people over sixteen. (English) (Spanish) United States: New section on litigation in the Justice Department online FOIA guide. United States. Secrecy News reports that the Public Interest Declassification Board, which advises the president on classification and declassification policy, is proposing to recommend […]
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2 December 2013
European Court Rules in Favor of Austrian NGO
The European Court of Human Rights held Nov. 28 that an Austrian government body’s refusal to grant an Austrian nongovernmental organization access to official documents was unjustified. The majority ruling came in the case of Österreichische Vereinigung zur Erhaltung, Stärkung und Schaffung eines wirtschaftlich gesunden land- und forstwirtschaftlichen Grundbesitzes v. Austria (application no. 39534/07). The […]
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2 December 2013
UN Committee Urges Review of Surveillance Policies
A United Nations committee Nov. 26 adopted a resolution on “The right to privacy in the digital age.” “Through this resolution, the General Assembly establishes, for the first time, that human rights should prevail irrespective of the medium and therefore need to be protected both offline and online,” Brazil’s representative said, according to a UN […]
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27 November 2013
Diet Approves Secrecy Bill After Slight Changes
Japan’s Diet Nov. 26 approved an internationally and domestically criticized “secrecy protection” law which imposes stiffer penalties on officials who leak information – and journalists who seek it. Premier Shinzo Abe said it was “urgent” to pass the law, which he said will allow Japan to receive national security information from the United States and […]
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27 November 2013
Philippines House Panel Sets Deadline for Action
A committee of the House of Representatives in the Philippines Nov. 26 voted 10-5 to have a consolidated measure done by Feb. 14. The House committee on public information approved the motion by Representative Emmeline Aglipay mandating a previously technical working group led by committee chairman Jorge Almonte to consolidate all 19 versions by February. The working […]
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27 November 2013
Mexican House Passes FOI Law Modifications
The Mexican House of Representatives by a vote of 424-16 Nov. 26 endorsed legislation recently approved by the Senate to amend the freedom of information law. Among other things, the legislation provides full autonomy to the Federal Institute for Access to Information and Protection of Data (IFAI) , the regulatory and implementation authority. The members […]
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27 November 2013
Spanish Senate Approves Transparency Legislation
The Spanish Senate has approved a Law on Transparency, Access to Information and Good Governance, and passage by Congress is expected Nov. 28. Few changes have been made to the Cabinet’s bill during the legislative, which critics say needed considerable improvement. “The ruling Partido Popular has ignored civil society during the entire process of adopting […]
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26 November 2013
FOI Notes: Media, Security, India, U.S., Research
Media: The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism has issued a volume analyzing the challenges and opportunities presented to journalists as they attempt to hold governments accountable in an era of professed transparency.” Security Sector: The Transparency and Accountability Initiative, the producers of the Open Government Guide have invited comments on a draft chapter […]
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26 November 2013
Groups Urge OGP Leaders to Address Secret Surveillance
More than 100 civil society organizations worldwide have expressed “grave concern” over secret government surveillance and urged national leaders to reform their national laws. The Nov. 25 letter was addressed to the new co-chairs of the Open Government Partnership. The effort was coordinated by the Worldwide Web Foundation The letter said: We join other civil […]
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22 November 2013
Mexican Senate Approves Reforms to Access Regime
By Jesse Franzblau On Nov. 20, Mexico’s senate passed new reforms to the country’s transparency system, approving modifications and establishing greater autonomy for the country’s information oversight body – the Federal Institute for Access to Information and Protection of Data (IFAI). After a process that lasted more than a year and involved significant amendments, revisions, […]
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22 November 2013
UN Officials Express Concern About Japan Secrecy Bill
The United Nations Special Rapporteurs on freedom of expression and on the right to health on Nov. 22 “expressed serious concern about the draft Special Secrets Bill, which establishes grounds and procedures for the classification of information held by the Japanese State,” according to a UN press release. They requested further information from the Japanese […]
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21 November 2013
Nigerian Judge Applies Federal FOI Law to States
A Nigerian judge has ruled that the federal freedom of information law covers state governments. The Oyo State High Court said the 2011 FOI law it does not need to be domesticated by any state before taking effect in all the states across the federation. The presiding judge S.A Akinteye said the National Assembly’s actions […]
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21 November 2013
FOI Notes: Open Data and FOI, Serbia, OGP, U.S. Guide
Research: A special issue of the Journal of Community Informatics explores the promise and practice of Open Government Data (OGD), including an article by Tim G. Davies and Zainab Ashraf Bawa called “The Promises and Perils of Open Government Data (OGD).” Another article, by Katleen Janssen, is titled, Open Government Data and the Right to […]