Author Archives: Press

8 November 2021. The military regime running Myanmar adopted amendments to the country’s formerly progressive Broadcasting Law on 1 November 2021. Adopted without any public consultations, the amendments make profound changes to the scope of the law so that it defines various online activities as “broadcasting”. They also add imprisonment as a sentence to the … Continue reading →

1 November 2021.  The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) is today releasing a Note providing in-depth assessments of the main proposed amendments to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) which are being proposed by the government of British Columbia, Canada, through Bill 22. The proposals represent a serious backsliding on … Continue reading →

27 October 2021. An assessment by the Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) using its internationally renowned RTI Rating has found that the amendments currently being considered by the Canadian province of British Columbia, in the form of Bill 22, would significantly undermine the right of individuals to access information held by public authorities. Specifically, … Continue reading →

23 October 2021. The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD), working in collaboration with the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Maldives Journalist Association (MJA), today launched an in-depth report into the situation in the Maldives facing the media and journalists, Maldives: Overview of the Environment for Media. This report is part of a … Continue reading →

20 October 2021. Today, the specialised mandates tasked with promoting and protecting freedom of expression at the UN, OAS, OSCE and African Commission launched their annual statement, the Joint Declaration on Politicians and Public Officials and Freedom of Expression. The Joint Declaration, which was drafted with the assistance of the Centre for Law and Democracy … Continue reading →

28 September 2021, International Right to Know Day, is a day when people around the world celebrate the right to access information held by public authorities, or the right to information. UNESCO recognised the day as the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) in 2016 and it was recognised as a general UN … Continue reading →

 27 September 2021. The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) is today releasing a Submission to the official consultation on the Government of Canada’s proposals to address harmful content online. The proposals would impose several obligations on online platforms, including to monitor content proactively, report harmful content to law enforcement bodies and create procedures for … Continue reading →

15 September 2021. Today UNESCO Almaty, in partnership with the Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD), hosted a virtual Workshop on Creating a Media Lawyers’ Network in Kazakhstan to bring legal professionals together to deepen their understanding of and to advocate for media freedom and freedom of expression. Supported by the Global Media Defence Fund … Continue reading →

6 August 2021. The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) is today releasing open letters sent last week to the leaders of the three main Nova Scotian political parties, the Liberal Party, Progressive Conservative Association and New Democratic Party, along with the responses of each party (Liberal/PC/NDP). Sent in the middle of an election campaign, … Continue reading →

30 July 2021. The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD), with the support of the Global Media Defence Fund run by UNESCO, is running a project designed to support the formation and development of national networks of lawyers dedicated to media defence work and promoting freedom of expression. “Media lawyers’ networks can be crucial forums … Continue reading →

15 June 2021. Today, Toby Mendel, Executive Director of the Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD), is appearing as an expert witness and presenting a written Statement before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in the case of Palacio Urrutia and Others v. Ecuador. The case challenges the conviction of journalist Urrutia and fellow defendants … Continue reading →

12 May 2021. The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) is releasing two documents analysing, respectively, Mauritius’ Information and Communication Technologies Act 2001 (ICT Act) and recently proposed amendments to that Act. The first is a Note highlighting current human rights problems with the ICT Act, including the lack of independence of media regulators and … Continue reading →

10 May 2021. Myanmar’s military took control of the country in a coup on 1 February 2021. Just two weeks later, on 14 February, they introduced important changes to the Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code which have become the primary legal provisions being used to charge journalists, student leaders, civil servants and others … Continue reading →

7 May 2021. The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) is pleased to join more than 100 other organisations and individuals in endorsing a letter in solidarity with Ivan Pavlov, a Russian human rights activist and lawyer who has been criminally charged with disclosing data of a preliminary investigation which has been declared secret. The … Continue reading →

30 April 2021. Today, as Namibia hosts the World Press Freedom Day Global Conference 2021, the Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) released an Analysis of Namibia’s Access to Information Bill. This Bill, which was tabled in parliament in 2021, would give individuals a right to access information held by government. Overall, the Analysis shows … Continue reading →

25 April 2021. The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) is today releasing an Analysis of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (referred to informally as the national security law for Hong Kong). The law has become notorious for its broad restrictions … Continue reading →

14 April 2021. The Centre for Law and Democracy has released a summary, in English and Burmese, on the rights of protesters in Myanmar and of the media workers who cover protests. Widespread protests have broken out across Myanmar in response to the 1 February 2021 military coup d’etat, and the military has responded with … Continue reading →

12 April 2021.  The Centre for Law and Democracy has published a Note that explains the recent legal troubles faced by Hong Kong publisher and democracy activist Jimmy Lai. Lai is facing reprisals from authorities in Hong Kong and mainland China due to the outspoken newspaper he founded, Apple Daily, and his other activities as … Continue reading →

10 March 2021. The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) has provided a Submission on disinformation to the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression. The Submission is in response to a call by the Special Rapporteur for inputs into her June 2021 report to the Human Rights Council, which will focus on disinformation and … Continue reading →