Category Archives: News

In the early hours of Monday morning, 7 October 2013, a group of masked men armed with machetes and iron bars stormed the offices of Raajje TV, an opposition-aligned television station in Male, torching the studio, and wounding and hospitalising a security guard. The television station had received written threats of an attack the previous … Continue reading →

On 23 September 2013, the Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) released a detailed Analysis of the weaknesses in Nova Scotia’s access to information framework which included a number of recommendations for reform. In response, the leaders of all three major parties expressed some willingness to consider CLD’s recommendations. To measure the true strength of … Continue reading →

The Green Climate Fund (GCF), an international financial institution (IFI) which uses lending to promote compliance with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), has prepared a draft policy on information disclosure for consideration by the Board at its fifth meeting in Paris from 8-10 October 2013. The Global Transparency Initiative (GTI) has prepared … Continue reading →

For years, politicians across Canada have been promising transparent and accountable government, and failing to deliver. From Canada’s lukewarm participation in the Open Government Partnership to the many failed attempts at reforming the federal Access to Information Act, Canadians have become used to a familiar cycle, where candidates pledge bold improvements during the election campaign, … Continue reading →

Access Info Europe (Spain) and the Centre for Law and Democracy (Canada) are today launching a report providing an analysis of the results and trends in the global RTI Rating, which assesses the legal framework for the right to information (RTI) in every country in the world which has adopted a national RTI law. A … Continue reading →

As Nova Scotians prepare to select their next government, transparency and a positive attitude toward the right to information should be a significant consideration in determining who is best suited to lead the province. Today, the Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) released an Analysis pointing to major problems with Nova Scotia’s transparency framework, the … Continue reading →

The Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a global initiative to promote greater transparency, participation and accountability in government founded by Presidents Obama of the United States and Rousseff of Brazil. Member countries must meet minimum openness standards and pledge to make further commitments to openness. Having presented its first Action Plan in April 2012, setting … Continue reading →

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) today launched the Handbook on International Standards and Media Law in the Arab World. The Handbook sets out international standards regarding media freedom and assesses the extent to which the legal regimes governing the media in Arab countries conform to those … Continue reading →

In recent years, freedom of expression in Russia has come under severe attack. A number of pieces of legislation have been adopted limiting the ability of opposition voices to make themselves heard. An Analysis released today by CLD demonstrates that, even against this troubling backdrop, the recent decision by Russia’s government to create an Internet … Continue reading →

Copyright law is among the most contentious issues regarding freedom of expression today. Artists claim that rampant piracy is destroying their ability to earn a living, while audiences accustomed to the free-flowing digital age feel stifled by copyright’s limitations. Against this backdrop, major conflicts have taken place to prevent attempts by rights holding lobbies to … Continue reading →

Today, the Freedom of Information Advocates Network (FOIAnet) launched a major global analysis of the development of the right to information (RTI) movement, broken down by region. The publication follows FOIAnet’s celebration of its 10th anniversary on International Right to Know Day, 28 September 2012. The Update, which was co-authored by different human rights advocates … Continue reading →

Disagreements over the scope and nature of copyright rules have made it one of the most high profile battlegrounds regarding issues affecting freedom of expression. Around the world, rights-holding lobbies are pushing for increasingly draconian measures to combat copyright infringements, while others are calling for copyright law to be significantly revised to align it with … Continue reading →

On 2 June 2013, Jordan’s Press and Publications Department issued an order blocking hundreds of websites due to their failure to register with the government. The order drew international condemnation, mainly because it is the first high-profile case of implementation of Jordan’s new legal regime for the print media, which was amended in 2012 to … Continue reading →

The Centre for Law and Democracy is today releasing a Note analysing the freedom of expression provisions in the new draft Constitution for Tunisia, dated 1 June 2013. As the foundational document for the system of governance in post revolutionary Tunisia, it is very important that the Constitution provide strong guarantees for human rights and … Continue reading →

The Global Climate Fund (GCF), a new international financial institution (IFI) which aims to use lending to promote compliance with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), is proposing to adopt an information disclosure policy. The Global Transparency Initiative (GTI) has prepared a Note on Better International Practices on Access to Information for … Continue reading →

The launch of Global Principles on National Security and the Right to Information (Tshwane Principles) today was the culmination of a multi-year consultation process to set out a careful balance between protecting genuine national security interests and respecting the right to information. The consultation process involved 100s of individuals and 22 key support institutions, including … Continue reading →

Centre for Law and Democracy calls on the Ukrainian Parliament to adopt Draft Law No. 0947 before summer recess and align Ukrainian legislation with the new information laws that were passed in 2011. Draft amendments have been pending in the Parliament since May 2012 and are necessary for the proper implementation of the landmark 2011 … Continue reading →

Four major draft laws relating to media reform that address the press, electronic press, a national press council and professional journalists are currently being considered in Morocco. Today, the Centre for Law and Democracy released an Analysis which, while noting positive elements in the draft laws, urged that further changes be made before they are … Continue reading →