Journalists
Access Info Europe holds joint seminar on Data Journalism in Madrid.
You are invited to participate in the second Data Journalism meeting on 20 October at 17 hrs at Medialab Prado, Madrid. The high level speakers are of Xaquín González Veira (The New York Times), Annamarie Cumiskey (Bureau of Investigative Journalism), Mar Cabra (International Consortium of Investigative Journalists - ICIJ) and David Cabo (Pro Bono Publico).
Experts from the United States and UK will discuss with leading Spanish journalists and data visualisation specialists their successes and challenges. The panelists will debate the urgent need for an access to information law in Spain.
Follow this session via streaming here
The Right to Diplomatic Information
The Wikileaks “Cablegate” scandal has brought sudden and extensive transparency to the area of international diplomacy. It raises, amongst others, the question of whether those who published the information acted legally or ethically. There is, however, another way of looking at this question: did those who originally failed to make this information public act legally or ethically?
The right of access to information, a right recognised in international law and enshrined in over 80 national access to information laws, gives us as members of the public the right to know what our governments are doing. This includes our right to know what governments do at the national level but also what our governments do when representing us at the international level. We have a right to hold our elected representatives accountable for all their actions, including when they represent us internationally. And accountability requires information.
"Legal Leaks"
Access to information and data security for journalists
Journalists play a central role in initiating and stimulating public debates but face constant challenges in accessing information from public bodies, particularly when that information relates to issues such as corruption and organised crime, violations of human rights, controversial international relations, environmental contamination, relationships with business and lobby groups, and the more sensitive aspects of EU integration.
These challenges are increasing due to limitations on freedom of expression and access to information resulting from new counter-terrorism and security measures. At the same time increased use of electronic surveillance technologies by public (and private) bodies is making it harder for journalists to protect their investigations and confidential sources making them vulnerable to legal and extra-legal pressures to desist from investigations and to reveal sources of information.
Access Info Europe and n-ost Network for Reporting on Eastern Europe are working to empower journalists to recoup their role as public watchdogs through exercise of their right of access to information in both their own country and other countries. Our goal is also to protect media freedom by promoting techniques by which journalists can protect the security of their data and of confidential sources of information. We are also working to promote cross-border collaboration between journalists from across Europe, the project will strengthen networks of journalists who will help each other file requests for information in each other's countries and cooperate on investigations.
For more information see the Legal Leaks project website: www.legalleaks.info. You can also download the Legal Leaks Toolkit here.
OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media presents access to information toolkit for journalists 
Berlin, 3 May 2010 – To mark this year’s World Press Freedom Day, which has a special focus on the Right to Know, the OSCE, Access Info (Madrid), and Berlin-based n-ost Network for Reporting on Eastern Europe will present a toolkit for journalists on how to use their right of access to information, the “Legal Leaks Toolkit”.
The right to know is the fundamental right of journalists and all citizens to access information held by public bodies. This right is an essential part of the right to freedom of expression anchored in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The Legal Leaks Toolkit (copies will be available on 3 May from www.legalleaks.info) is a guide for journalists on how to make requests for information in 45 countries in the OSCE region, including most EU countries, the USA and Canada. It provides journalists with 20 Top Tips on how to use the right of access to information as a research tool, and gives guidance on how to turn both documents accessed and refusals into stories.
The Legal Leaks project being run by Access Info and n-ost will span several years and integrate training, legal support, and advocacy. Journalists will be supported in filing requests in different countries and over time the Legal Leaks project will develop a pan-European resource network for use by both local and investigative journalists.
Legal Leaks Toolkit
