Access to Information Laws Or Freedom of Information Laws: ?????? ?? ?????? ??? ????????? ?? ?????? ???? ????????:

1
Access to Information LawsOr Freedom of
Information Laws?????? ?? ?????? ??? ?????????
???????? ???? ????????

• Overview
• ???? ????

2
Freedom of Information???? ????????

• Some states lack any laws granting public access
  to government records (freedom of information
  laws).
• ??? ????? ?????? ?? ???? ??? ?? ???????? ????
  ???? ??????? ?? ?????? ??? ????? ??????? (??????
  ???? ????????)
• Freedom of information laws, where they exist are
  often weak, ineffective, poorly understood and
  unenforced.
• ??? ?????? ???? ????????? ?? ?????? ????? ?? ????
  ?????? ??? ?????? ?????? ???? ???? ???? ?????.
• In the absence of effective freedom of
  information laws, many public authorities and
  public officials maintain a curtain of secrecy.
  Secrecy is often the incubator of corruption.
• ????? ?????? ???? ???????? ???????? ????? ??????
  ?? ?????? ?????? ?????????? ????????? ??? ???? ??
  ??????. ?????? ????? ?? ???? ????? ??????.
• The media and the public are, accordingly,
  deprived of access to basic government
  information and the legal means to discover and
  expose corruption.
• ??????? ???????? ??? ???????? ??????? ?? ??
  ?????? ??? ????????? ???????? ???????? ????????
  ????????? ??????? ?????? ?????.

3
Remedies of Effective Freedom of Information
Laws?????? ?????? ???? ??????? ???????

• Create legal presumption of the publics right of
  access to records held by public authorities.
• ??? ??????? ????????? ??? ??????? ??????? ???
  ??????? ???? ????? ?????? ??????.
• Impose obligation on public authorities to comply
  with requests for access.
• ??? ???? ?????? ?????? ????????? ?????? ??????
  ??? ?????????.
• Limit the categories of records exempt from
  access.
• ???? ?? ???? ??????? ????????? ?? ???? ???????
  ??? ?????????
• Exemption for national security to be narrowly
  drafted and interpreted to guard only legitimate
  secrets.
• ????? ????????? ?? ??? ????? ?????? ???? ????
  ??????? ?????? ??? ??????? ????????.

4
Remedies of Effective Freedom of Information Laws
Continued?????? ?????? ???? ????????
????????... ????

• Require public authorities to prove before an
  independent tribunal that access is not required
  by the law and is not in the public interest
• ???????? ??? ?????? ?????? ?? ????? ???? ?????
  ?????? ??? ?? ?????? ??? ????????? ?? ??????
  ??????? ??? ??? ?? ?????? ?????
• Create workable, effective, and inexpensive
  mechanisms to enforce rights of access.
• ??? ????? ????? ???????? ?????? ???? ????? ?????
  ?????? ???? ?????? ??? ?????????.
• Create incentives for public authorities to
  comply with requests for access.
• ??? ????? ?????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ??????
  ??? ?????????.

5
Access to Information Law????? ?????? ???
?????????

• Guiding Principles
• ????? ????????

6
Overview???? ????

• Rationale
• ??????? ??????? / ?????
• Presumption of Openness
• ????? ???????? (???? ??????? ??????? ???
  ?????????)
• Narrowly Drafted Exceptions to Right of Access
• ????????? ?? ?? ?????? ??? ????????? ??????
  ??????? ??????
• Clear Enforcement Procedure and Independent
  Appeal
• ??????? ????? ????? ???????? ????????? ??????
• Strong Protections for Disclosure
• ????? ????? ???????

7
Rationale????? ?????

• Informational Economics Disclosure Increases
  Transparency and Accountability
• ?????????? ????????? ??????? ????? ????????
  ?????????
• Democracy
• ???????????
• Government as Trustee Public Owns Information
• ??????? ??????? ??????? ?? ???? ?????????
• Citizen as Informed Participant
• ??????? ?????? ?????
• Rule of Law General, Public, Prospective,
  Comprehensible, Consistent, Practicable,
  Stable/Predictable and Congruent
• ????? ??????? ???? ????? ?????? ?????? ???????
  ????? ?????/?? ?????? ???????? ?? ???????

8
Presumption of Openness?????? ????????

• All information in the control of public
  authorities is publicly accessible unless
  expressly excepted in the law.
• ??? ?? ????????? ??? ????? ?????? ?????? ?? ?????
  ??????? ?? ?? ??? ????? ?? ??????? ????? ????
  ???? ???? ?? ??? ???????.
• Such a presumption gives a starting point /
  default and has important implications
• ??? ???????? ????? ???? ??????/??? ????? ??
  ?????? ??? ????? ??? ???????? ??????

9
(No Transcript)
10
Broad Application to Information and Public
Institutions??????? ?????? ?????? ?????????
????????? ??????

• The broader the scope of public access rights,
  the more effective the law
• ????? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ??? ????????? ??????
  ????? ??? ????? ??????? ????

Example Legislative bodies ???? ???????
?????????
Plenary sessions minutes ????? ????? ????
Committee level hearings ????? ??? ????? ??????
Reports submitted to legislators for
consideration ?????? ?????? ????????? ?? ???
???????
Promulgated Laws ?????? ?????
Draft laws ?????? ??????
11
Narrowly Drafted Exceptions to Right of
Access????????? ?? ?? ?????? ??? ?????????
?????? ??????? ??????

• Rights of access are not absolute
• ???? ??? ????? ??????? ??? ?????????
• Any exceptions must be expressly and narrowly
  defined in legislation, and necessary in a
  democratic society to protect a legitimate
  interest.
• ??? ?? ???? ?? ?? ??????????? ?????? ???? ????
  ?????? ?? ???????? ??????? ??????? ??????????
  ????? ????? ??????.

12
Narrowly Drafted Exceptions to Right of
Access????????? ?? ?? ?????? ??? ?????????
?????? ??????? ??????/???? ?????

• Two Categories (1) general / public interests
  (e.g. national security) and (2) interests of
  particular legal or natural persons (e.g.,
  privacy)
• ????? (1) ????? ???? (????? ????? ??????) ?(2)
  ????? ????? ????????? ?? ???????? ??????? (?????
  ?????????)
• Expressly and narrowly defined?
• ?????? ???? ???? ???????
• Necessary?
• ???????
• Proportionality
• ???????
• Capacity
• ??????
• Legitimate Interest?
• ??????? ?????????

13
Clear Enforcement Procedure and Independent
Appeal??????? ????? ????? ??????? ?????????
???????

• Procedures for Applicants and Officials
• ??????? ???? ??????? ??????? ?????????? ?????????
• Step by step description of application and
  review process
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  ?????????
• Implementing regulations and sanctions for
  non-compliance
• ??????? ????????? ??????? ??? ????????
• Accompanied by education and training efforts
• ?????? ?????? ????? ???????
• Guidelines for the application of the law
• ????? ??????? ?????? ???????

14
Strong Protections for Disclosure????? ?????
???????

• Protect officials from retaliation for disclosing
  alleged violations of the law
• ????? ????????? ???????? ?? ??????/???????? ???
  ??????? ?? ????????? ???????? ???????
• No criminal liability
• ?? ??????? ??????
• No liability criminal, civil or administrative
  except for violations of the law made willfully
  or in bad faith
• ?? ???????- ??????? ????? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ???
  ????????? ????????? ???????/?? ????????? ????????
  ??????? ?? ??? ????

15
Strong Protections for Disclosure????? ?????
???????
?? ??? ???? ?? ??? ??? ????? ????????? ?????????
????????  ?? ???? ????????
16
Access to Information Law Technical Review??????
?????? ?????? ?? ?????? ??? ?????????

• Main Features and Methodology
• ??????? ?????????? ?????????

17
Begin with guiding principles ???????? ??
???????? ?????????

• Presumption of Openness
• ?????? ???????? (???? ??????? ??????????)
• Narrowly Drafted Exceptions to Right of Access
• ????????? ?? ?? ?????? ??? ????????? ??????
  ??????? ??????/???????
• Clear Enforcement Procedure and Independent
  Appeal
• ??????? ????? ????? ???????? ?????????? ???????
• Strong Protections for Disclosure
• ????? ????? ????? ?? ?????????

18
Main features follow principles???? ?????? ????
???????

• Scope and Definitions
• ?????? ??????????
• Request Process for Applicants
• ????? ????? ?????? ???????
• Exceptions
• ?????????
• Review Process with an Independent Appeals
  Mechanism
• ??????? ???????? ?????? ????? ???? ???????
• Implementing Regulations for Officials
• ??????? ??????????? ????????? ????????
• Enforcement with Protection for Officials
• ????? ?? ????? ????????? ?????????

19
Scope and Definitions?????? ??????????

• Information providers
• ?????? ?????????
• Information seekers
• ????? ?????????
• Information
• ?????????

20
Request Process for Applicants????? ????? ??????
???????

• Step by step process
• ????? ????? ????????? ?? ???? ???????
• Specify format for request and submission
• ????? ???? ????? ???????
• Sample form
• ??? ??????
• Designate officer to comply with requests
• ????? ?????? ?????? ???????? ????????
• Specify time periods for response
• ????? ??? ?????? ?????
• Reasonable fees
• ???? ??? ???????

21
Exceptions?????????

• Should be limited in number
• ????? ?? ???? ?????? ?? ??? ?????
• Remember
• ?????
• (1) a narrow exception
• (1) ??????? ????? ?????? ?????
• (2) necessary to
• (2) ????? ??
• (3) protect a legitimate interest
• (3) ????? ????? ??????

22
Exceptions?????????

• Types of exceptions
• ????? ???????????
• Class based
• ????????? ??? ??????
• General
• ????
• Specific
• ????

23
Recognized Legitimate Interests????? ?????? ????
???

• National security
• ????? ??????
• State economic / financial
• ??????/????? ??????
• Law enforcement
• ????? ???????
• Internal administration of government
• ??????? ???????? ???????

• Protection for policy-making
• ????? ??? ????????
• Commercial
• ????? ??????
• Personal Privacy
• ??????? ?????

24
Review Process with Independent Appeal???????
????????? ??? ?????? ????????? ???????

• Step by step process
• ????? ????? ????????? ?? ???? ???????
• Any denial should be given in writing and include
  reasoning
• ????? ?? ????? ?? ??? ???? ??? ??? ??????
  ?????????
• Appeal to independent decision maker
• ????????? ??? ???? ???? ??????
• de novo review
• ???????? ?? ???? ?? ???
• Specify time periods for filing appeals and for
  decisions
• ????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ?????????

25
Implementing Regulations for Officials???????
??????????? ????????? ?????????

• Published Guides
• ????? ??????
• Retention and Organization Policies
• ?????? ????? ????????
• Periodic Reporting
• ????? ???????? ????????
• Support and Monitoring
• ????? ???????

26
Enforcement???????

• No criminal penalty for disclosure or
  non-disclosure of information in this law or in
  any accompanying criminal law. Criminal
  penalties are disproportionate.
• ?? ?????? ?????? ??? ????? ?? ??????? ?? ???
  ????? ???? ????? ??? ??????? ?? ????? ?? ?????
  ????? ????? ??. ???????? ???????? ??? ???????.
• Imposition of sanctions should be limited to
  willful violations only. A good faith disclosure
  of legally protected information should be not be
  punished.
• ????? ?? ???? ??? ???????? ??????? ??????????
  ????????? ???. ?? ????? ?????? ??????? ?????
  ????? ?? ????????? ???????? ?????????.

27
Draft LawConcerning the Right to Access to
Information????? ????? ?????? ?????? ???
?????????

• Some suggestions
• ??? ??????????

28
Some general suggestions??? ?????????? ??????

• Suggest broadening the scope of coverage
• ???????? ?????? ???? ???????
• Suggest narrowing the exceptions to access
• ???????? ?????? ??????????? ?? ?????? ???
  ?????????
• Suggest protecting public employees from
  retaliation for disclosure
• ???????? ?????? ???????? ????????? ?? ????????
  ??? ???????
• Suggest reasonable, enforceable sanctions on
  public authorities for non-compliance
• ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ??? ???????
  ?????? ???? ????????

29
Some general suggestions (continued)???
?????????? ??????(????)

• Suggest appeals handled by an independent
  tribunal
• ?????? ?????? ???? ??????? ????? ??????

30
Why a right of access????? ???? ??????? ???
?????????

• Popular government without popular information
  or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue
  to a farce or a tragedy or perhaps both. (James
  Madison,1822)
• ??????? ??????? ?? ??? ??????? ????? ?? ?????
  ?????????? ???? ??? ???? ??????? ????? ??
  ????????? ?? ????? ??????? ????. (????? ????????
  1822)
• Information is the oxygen of democracy.
  (Article 19, London, 1999)
• ????????? ?? ??????? ???????????. (????? ??????
  19? ????? 1999)