EMPODERANDO AL PERIODISMO A TRAVÉS DEL DERECHO DE ACCESO A LA INFORMACIÓN
EL MANUAL ‘LEGAL LEAKS’ AYUDA A PERIODISTAS A OBTENER
INFORMACIÓN USANDO LAS LEYES DE ACCESO A LA INFORMACIÓN
Why is the right of access to information important for journalism?
A Guide for Journalists on How to Access Information
The Legal Leaks Toolkit, developed by Access Info Europe and n-ost, helps journalists access information using Access to Information laws. The Toolkit is available in a generic international version and can be adapted to the legal framework of any country. The existing national versions, translated into local languages, are available below. You can also read more below about our training programme and about how to contact
the Legal Leaks Help Desk.
Why do media experts think access to information is important?
Journalists, activists, and media experts speak about the importance of access to information in their daily work. Watch all interviews here!
That little detail in the relationship between journalists and sources, that little one, is so important that could change the way in which we tell stories.
It is extremely important that there is this mechanism that you can use as a journalist to say «Hang on a minute, you need to give us this, because we have a right to know».
It’s a great way to get stories, it’s a great way to fin out what governments in particular are doing, it’s a great way to find out where money goes, it’s a great way to prove accountability.
The right of access to information is very important for the journalists’ work; it’s important for everyday work, but it’s even more important for investigations.
Journalism is about investigation, it’s about asking questions; but it’s about documents as well, as a proof for questions, as a proof for answers
Basically, I need access to information to do my job as someone who is supposed to ensure the accountability of politicians, of public officials.
Cover photo: European Parliament via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
ÚLTIMAS NOTICIAS SOBRE EMPODERANDO AL PERIODISMO
Request Process in Switzerland
Summary: Information Commissioner Rules That Specific Company Register Law Trumps Access to Information Law Request sent to Business and Enterprise Register (BER) Outcome of request Information refused Time taken to respond 6 working days (Deadline is 20 working days) Reason for refusal Another law overrides FOI law Only need to answer requests for individual records. Personal privacy. On 20
Request Process in Sweden
Summary: You Need to Pay For the Information and State What You Plan to Do With the Personal Data in the Register Request sent to Swedish Companies Registration Office Trade and Industry Register Outcome of request Information refused Time taken to respond 1 working day (Deadline is “immediately”) Reason for refusal Must pay for access. Personal privacy. On 4
Request Process in Serbia
Summary: Information Commissioner Rules that Business Register Was Right to Refuse Access Because the Data Was Already Available Online Request sent to Serbian Business Registers Agency (SBRA) (Click here) Outcome of request Information refused Time taken to respond 46 working days (deadline is 15 working days) Reason for refusal Database not a document. No need to answer if info is
Request Process in Russia
Summary: It Is "Technically Impossible" to Provide Access to the Full Database Request sent to Federal Tax Service (Click here) Outcome of request Information Refused Time taken to respond 40 working days (Deadline is 30 calendar days) Reason for refusal Another law overrides FOI law. Technically impossible to fulfill. The initial request was sent in Russian to the Federal
Request Process in Romania
Summary: The Romanian Access to Information Law Does Not Cover Self-Funded Bodies Request sent to National Trade Register (Click here) Outcome of request Information refused. Time taken to respond 3 working days (Deadline is 10 working days) Reason for refusal Only need to answer requests for individual records. Must pay for access. FOI exceptions applied to registers. On 30
Request Process in Norway
Summary: Administrative Silence - No Response to Our Request Request sent to Brønnøysund Register Centre (Click here) Outcome of request Administrative silence. Time taken to respond N/A (Deadline is “without undue delay”) Reason for refusal N/A (No response received). On 4 November 2013, Access Info sent a request to the Brønnøysund Register Centre of Norway. Under the Norwegian Freedom