International FOI Laws – National Freedom of Information Coalition

Freedom of information is a global phenomenon these days. We’ve assembled links to FOI laws, academic studies and news of note from all over the world here.

FOI advocates all over the globe are creating advocacy groups just like the ones who created NFOIC, so no matter where you live, get involved!

Check out the latest reports from The Carter Center's International Conference on the Right to Public Information.

We will continue to update this information and appreciate any ideas you have in regard to additional content.

Please contact us at nfoic@nfoic.org with any recommendations.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

— Article 19, UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948

GLOBAL SURVEY

We have some catching up to do in regard to adding to this list, so please bear with us as we work on updating this page.

However, the folks at freedominfo.org provide some of the most up-to-date and comprehensive information you can find regarding the state of access to information in countries across the globe, examining existing laws and prevailing practice, with links to relevant sites in each country.

Check out the links the folks at Right2INFO.org have put together.

See the PDF from http://www.bigwobber.nl/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Fringe-Special-Overview-FOIA-oct-2011.pdf

AUSTRALIA – BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA –

BULGARIA – CANADA –

EUROPEAN UNION – FINLAND – FRANCE –

GERMANY – HONG KONG – INDIA –

IRELAND – ISRAEL – JAMAICA – JAPAN –

KAZAKHSTAN – KENYA – KYRGYZSTAN – LATVIA –

MEXICO – NEW ZEALAND – NIGERIA –

POLAND – ROMANIA – SCOTLAND –

SOUTH AFRICA – SWEDEN – TAJIKISTAN –

TURKMENISTAN – UGANDA – UNITED KINGDOM –

UZBEKISTAN – WALES

AUSTRALIA

Australia's provincial acts:

BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA

Freedom of Access to Information Act for Bosnnia and Herzegovina
The Nato Review — A background story on media freedom in Bosnia
The Center for Free Access to Information (CSpi) for Bosnia and Herzegovina

BULGARIA

CANADA

Review of Free Expression in Canada 2010/2011 — CJFE's second annual Review of Free Expression in Canada looks at the important free expression issues affecting Canadians. The report covers topics including Wikileaks, access to information, the G20 Summit violations, Hate speech and a special 30th Anniversary article about CJFE’s history. You can also read CJFE’s report card for the government including grades from A- to F-.
Federal Performance Poor in May, 2010 — Freedom of Information Audit
Access to Information Act

British Columbia access laws

JournalismNet Canada has a broad range of resources about Canadian and U.S. Freedom of Information laws.
The Canadian Access and Privacy Association

IRELAND

ISRAEL

Freedom of Information Law, 5758-1998(pdf)

JAMAICA

Access to Information Act of 2002

JAPAN

Japanese FOI
Japanese Government Information: New Rules for Access — from The National Security Archive
Main Points of the Law Concerning Access to Information Held by Administrative Organs

KAZAKHSTAN

Summary of Kazakhstan's Constitutional Guarntees of Freedom of Information (extracted from the Constitution):

Article 18

3. Governmental organs, social associations, officials, and mass media are obligated to provide every citizen with the opportunity to become acquainted with documents, decisions, and sources of information affecting her or his rights and interests.
Article 20

1. Freedom of speech and creativity are guaranteed. Censorship is not allowed. 2. Every person has the right freely to receive and disseminate information in any manner not prohibited by law. A list of information constituting the state secrets of the Republic of Kazakstan is determined by law. 3. Not permitted is propaganda and agitation for violent change in the constitutional system, violation of the territorial integrity of the Republic, undermining state security, war, social, racial, ethnic, religious, class, or tribal superiority, or cults of cruelty and violence.
Article 39

1. Rights and freedoms of the person and citizen may be limited only by law and only to the degree necessary in order to defend the constitutional system and protect the social order, the rights and freedoms of the person, and the health and morality of the population. 2. Any actions capable of violating inter-ethnic harmony are recognized as anti-constitutional. 3. Limitation of the rights and freedoms of citizens for political reasons is not permitted in any form. The rights and freedoms anticipated in Articles 10, 11, 13-15, paragraph 1 of Article 16, Article 17, Article 19, Article 22, and paragraph 2 of Article 26 of the Constitution are not subject under any circumstances to limitation.