News
-
23 August 2012
RTI Centre Established To Help Nepal Requesters
An RTI Centre has been created in Nepal. The new facility is located at the office of the National Information Commission, is managed by the Citizens’ Campaign for Right to Information in collaboration with the Commission, and supported with funds from the United Kingdom development agency, according to news reports including one in The Kathmandu Post. […]
-
23 August 2012
Uganda Issues Manual on Access to Information Law
Uganda’s Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has published a Manual of Functions and Index of Records for 2012/2013. “The Manual contains very useful information on information available and how it can be accessed,” according to Gilbert Sendugwa, the Coordinator/Head of Secretariat of the Africa Freedom of Information Centre. Publication of a manual was […]
-
22 August 2012
NGOs Seek to Set Standards for Open Government
Several nongovernmental organizations have requested comments on the meaning of “open government,” with the goal of creating international standards. The announcement states: Open Government is a hot topic right now, but what does it really mean in practice? What should governments be doing in the areas of Transparency, Participation and Accountability to qualify as “open […]
-
22 August 2012
Philippines Coalition Presses for House Action on FOI
The Right to Know Right Now Coalition in the Philippines has asked House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte to intervene and get the freedom of information bill out of committee. The letter from the network of 150 media and civil society organizations pushing the passage of the FOIasks Belmonte to take steps to “ensure full deliberation and […]
-
21 August 2012
OGP Seeks Comments on Two-Year Strategic Plan
The Open Government Partnership Aug. 21 requested public comments on a two-year strategic plan built around two key elements “strengthening the core” and “maintaining vibrancy.” The 14-page document begins with descriptions of OGP “values” and “the OGP offer.” It then proceeds to outline short-term and long-term goals and to discuss “measures of success.” Numerous goals and […]
-
20 August 2012
Venezuela Limits Access Rights, Report Says
By Natalia Mazotte This article first appeared in the Knight Foundation’s Journalism in the Americas Blog where versions in Spanish and Portuguese may be found. According to a report published by the Coalition ProAccess movement, the right to access public information in Venezuela is being restricted by the government, reported the organization Espacio Público, on […]
-
20 August 2012
Government Website Audits Conducted in 8 Countries
Auditing the adequacy of government websites is an active and regular effort in at least eight countries, according to a Freedominfo.org review. Website audits have been conducted by nongovernmental organizations in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Cyprus Georgia, Russia, the Ukraine and the United States. Some of the evalutions are periodic. The auditors devise numerical or “report card” grades to […]
-
17 August 2012
Egyptian Minister Says Legislation on FOI Ready
The Egyptian Telecommunications and Information Technology Ministry has developed a draft freedom of information bill, according to a media report. “Minister of Telecommunications and Information Technology Hany Mahmoud said his ministry has prepared a freedom of information bill and plans to open it to public debate after the holy Muslim feast of Eid al-Fitr, which […]
-
17 August 2012
South Korea Submits OGP Plans; Others Missing
South Korea has submitted its Open Government partnership action plan, making commitments largely in the areas of providing more online information and increasing citizen involvement in decision-making. A nine-point Macedonian plan also has been posted. The publication of these plans means that 46 action plans have been submitted by the 57 OGP member countries. Four of […]
-
17 August 2012
Russian Foundation Launches Russian OGP Website
By Nate Jones Jones is the Freedom of Information Coordinator at the National Security Archive who is also currently working with the Freedom of Information Foundation in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The Freedom of Information Foundation, a Russian civil society group, has launched the website ogp-russia.ru to provide Russians with Russian language information about the Open […]
-
17 August 2012
FOI Notes: Research, Open Data Debated, More Reports
Research: A study by Fabrizio Scrollini on different approaches and best practices vis-a-vis the relationship between the parliament as the legislative authority and independent FOI authorities Serbia and other places. Open Data: How valuable is open data and are there downsides? A long blog post by Tom Slee. “The point of this post is to […]
-
16 August 2012
Mexico Expands OGP Commitments in New Plan
The Mexican government has expanded its Open Government Partnership national action plan beyond the first one created last September, incorporating more suggestions from civil society. The Expanded Action Plan (in English) presented during a press conference in Mexico City June 6 includes 36 commitments to advance transparency and accountability that must be met by September 2012. “The […]
-
16 August 2012
Russian Group Suggests Ideas for OGP Action Plan
The Freedom of Information Foundation in Russia has advanced an extensive list of ideas for the government to include in the national action plan to be prepared in light of its membership in the Open Government Partnership. Russia joined the OGP in April. FIF suggested a variety of “organizational measures” such as establishing a body to […]
-
13 August 2012
Botswana FOI Bill Again Defeated by Ruling Party
The ruling party in Botswana again appears to have doomed the chances of a freedom of information bill passing parliament. Supporters were optimistic last week after the General Assembly had voted Aug. 1 to bring the measure to the floor of the parliament. But president’s chief communications officer persuaded the ruling party’s backbenchers to renege […]
-
13 August 2012
Word Limit Imposed on Indian RTI Requesters
The Indian government has placed a limit of 500 words on the length of applications under the Right to Information Act and has established a new form for making appeals to the Central Information Commission. The new rule, issued July 31 by the Department of Personnel and Training, also requires that appellants or their representative […]
-
13 August 2012
Nigerian Energy Company Pledges to Follow FOI Law
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has promised to follow the 2011 Freedom of Information Act, according to a news report. Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Andrew Yakubu, said the NNPC management established a task force on the new law after it was passed “We have since internalized the contents of that report and […]
-
13 August 2012
Somalia Includes Access Right in Constitution
The Somalian National Constituent Assembly on Aug. 1, made up of 825 prominent Somalis, approved a constitution that among other things guarantees access to information. The approval sets the stage for presidential elections and the establishment of a parliament. A Provisional Constitution Review and Implementation Oversight Committee will review the constitution, which received largely positive […]
-
13 August 2012
FOI Notes: Jobs, Wikileaks, Software
Consultancy: Africa Freedom of Information Centre is looking for a consultant “to conduct a review of the AFIC seeks the services of a consultant to conduct a review of the institution and its programmes based on the results, work in consultation with AFIC staff, members and the Steering Committee to develop a five year strategic […]
-
10 August 2012
Report Details Access Scene in Four Middle East Nations
A new report provides extensive detail on the access to information situation in Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia, concluding that in all four “a culture of secrecy prevails over that of openness,” and advocating incremental reforms. The report, “Access to Information in the Middle East and North African Region: An overview of recent development in […]
-
10 August 2012
Chile Decrees Confidentiality Despite Court Ruling
By Dolores Lavalle Cobo Lavalle Cobo is an Argentine lawyer, member of Centro para la Información Ciudadana (Center for Citizen´s Information) and author of books and articles. The Chilean Government published Decree No.155 on July 26 ordering the confidentiality of the legal services hired by the National Directorate of International Limits and Boundaries. The Directorate is a division of […]