INTRODUCTION
Part I: INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE
CHAPTER 1: FREEDOM OF INFORMATION: AN INTERNATIONALLY PROTECTED HUMAN RIGHT
1.1 Introduction = 1
1.2 International Standards = 2
1.2.1 The United Nations = 2
1.2.2 The Commonwealth = 7
1.2.3 Organization of American States = 9
1.2.4 Council of Europe = 12
1.3 Issue-specific information = 17
1.3.1 Information on the Environment = 17
1.3.2 Information on Human Rights = 20
1.4 Global Trends = 23
1.4.1 National Constitutional Developments = 23
1.4.2 National Legislation = 27
1.4.3 Intergovernmental Organisations = 30
1.5 The Content of the Right to Information = 38
1.6 Conclusion = 40
ANNEX I: Commonwealth Freedom Of Information Principles
ANNEX II: Exceptions Table
PART II: COUNTRY STUDIES
CHAPTER 2: COUNTRY STUDY - INDIA
2.1 Introduction = 51
2.2 Information: What it Means and to Whom = 52
2.3 The Need for the Right to Information = 53
2.3.1 An Antidote to Corruption = 54
2.3.2 Limiting Abuse of Discretion = 54
2.3.3 Protection of Civil Liberties = 55
2.3.4 A Matter of Life and Death = 56
2.3.5 Participation = 59
2.3.6 Knowledge of Laws and Policies = 60
2.3.7 Elixir for the Media = 60
2.4 The Existing Information Regime = 61
2.4.1 Constitutional Guarantees = 61
2.4.2 Laws Which Facilitate Disclosure = 63
2.4.3 Secrecy = 64
2.5 The State of Official Records = 66
2.6 Illiteracy and Poor Means of Communication = 67
2.7 Developments Towards a Right to Information = 68
2.7.1 Amending the Official Secrets Act = 68
2.7.2 Advocacy by Civil Society = 68
The ‘Press Council’ Draft = 68
The "CERC" Draft = 69
2.7.3 Legislative Developments at the Centre = 70
The "Shourie Committee" Draft = 71
The Freedom of Information Bill, 2000 = 71
State Laws and Orders on the Right to Information = 72
2.8 Advocacy on the Right to Information = 72
2.8.1 The MKSS Movement = 72
2.8.2 The National Campaign on People’s Right to Information = 75
2.8.3 The CHRI Campaign = 75
2.8.4 Consumer and other groups = 76
2.8.5 Advocacy Within the Government = 77
2.9 Conclusion = 77
ANNEX III: A Brief Analysis of Various State Laws and Orders on the Right to Information = 79
ANNEX IV: Comparative Table Of Right to Information Legislation = 82
ANNEX V: Detailed Analysis of the Freedom of Information Bill, 2000 = 85
CHAPTER 3: COUNTRY STUDY . PAKISTAN
3.1 Introduction = 88
3.2 The Need for Information = 90
3.3 The Existing Information Regime = 93
3.3.1 Policies and Practices of Disclosure = 93
3.3.2 Secrecy Laws and Other Legal Restrictions = 93
The Official Secrets Act, 1926 = 94
The Security of Pakistan Act, 1952 = 94
The Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960 = 95
The Penal Code = 96
The Code of Criminal Procedure = 97
Laws of Contempt and Defamation = 98
Threats of Legal Action = 98
3.3.3 Laws exclusively related to the Press = 99
3.4 Restrictive Practices = 101
3.5 Record-Keeping = 103
3.6 Control of information flows via the media = 105
3.6.1 Broadcasting = 105
3.6.2 News Agencies = 107
3.7 Recent Developments and Official Resistance = 108
3.7.1 Advocacy Initiatives = 110
3.8 Conclusion = 111
ANNEX VI: Freedom of Information Ordinance, 1997
ANNEX VII: Draft Ordinance to Provide for Transparency and Freedom of Information, August 2000 = 116
CHAPTER 4: COUNTRY STUDY . SRI LANKA
4.1 Introduction = 120
4.2 The Need for Information = 120
4.2.1 Democracy = 120
4.2.2 Accountability and Good Governance = 121
4.2.3 Protecting Other Human Rights = 122
4.2.4 Promoting Peace = 125
4.3 The Existing Information Regime = 126
4.3.1 Constitutional Provisions = 132
4.3.2 Secrecy Laws and Other Legal Restrictions on access to information = 132
4.3.3 Restrictions Related to the Conflict = 135
Prior Censorship = 135
Access to the North and East = 137
Threats, violence and self-censorship = 137
4.4 Restrictive Practices and Record-Keeping = 139
4.5 Control of Information = 140
4.6 Recent Developments and Advocacy Efforts on Freedom of Information = 141
4.6.1 The Committee on Media Law Reform = 141
4.6.2 Draft Access to Official Information Act, 1996 = 143
4.7 Conclusion = 145
ANNEX VIII: Recommendations of the Sri Lanka Law Commission = 146
PART III: RECOMMENDATIONS
CHAPTER 5: RECOMMENDATIONS OF ARTICLE 19, CHRI, CPA and HRCP
5.1 Recommendations to Governments = 148
5.2 Recommendations to Civil Society = 149
5.3 Recommendations to the Business Community = 150
5.4 Recommendations to the International Community = 150
Part I: INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE
CHAPTER 1: FREEDOM OF INFORMATION: AN INTERNATIONALLY PROTECTED HUMAN RIGHT
1.1 Introduction = 1
1.2 International Standards = 2
1.2.1 The United Nations = 2
1.2.2 The Commonwealth = 7
1.2.3 Organization of American States = 9
1.2.4 Council of Europe = 12
1.3 Issue-specific information = 17
1.3.1 Information on the Environment = 17
1.3.2 Information on Human Rights = 20
1.4 Global Trends = 23
1.4.1 National Constitutional Developments = 23
1.4.2 National Legislation = 27
1.4.3 Intergovernmental Organisations = 30
1.5 The Content of the Right to Information = 38
1.6 Conclusion = 40
ANNEX I: Commonwealth Freedom Of Information Principles
ANNEX II: Exceptions Table
PART II: COUNTRY STUDIES
CHAPTER 2: COUNTRY STUDY - INDIA
2.1 Introduction = 51
2.2 Information: What it Means and to Whom = 52
2.3 The Need for the Right to Information = 53
2.3.1 An Antidote to Corruption = 54
2.3.2 Limiting Abuse of Discretion = 54
2.3.3 Protection of Civil Liberties = 55
2.3.4 A Matter of Life and Death = 56
2.3.5 Participation = 59
2.3.6 Knowledge of Laws and Policies = 60
2.3.7 Elixir for the Media = 60
2.4 The Existing Information Regime = 61
2.4.1 Constitutional Guarantees = 61
2.4.2 Laws Which Facilitate Disclosure = 63
2.4.3 Secrecy = 64
2.5 The State of Official Records = 66
2.6 Illiteracy and Poor Means of Communication = 67
2.7 Developments Towards a Right to Information = 68
2.7.1 Amending the Official Secrets Act = 68
2.7.2 Advocacy by Civil Society = 68
The ‘Press Council’ Draft = 68
The "CERC" Draft = 69
2.7.3 Legislative Developments at the Centre = 70
The "Shourie Committee" Draft = 71
The Freedom of Information Bill, 2000 = 71
State Laws and Orders on the Right to Information = 72
2.8 Advocacy on the Right to Information = 72
2.8.1 The MKSS Movement = 72
2.8.2 The National Campaign on People’s Right to Information = 75
2.8.3 The CHRI Campaign = 75
2.8.4 Consumer and other groups = 76
2.8.5 Advocacy Within the Government = 77
2.9 Conclusion = 77
ANNEX III: A Brief Analysis of Various State Laws and Orders on the Right to Information = 79
ANNEX IV: Comparative Table Of Right to Information Legislation = 82
ANNEX V: Detailed Analysis of the Freedom of Information Bill, 2000 = 85
CHAPTER 3: COUNTRY STUDY . PAKISTAN
3.1 Introduction = 88
3.2 The Need for Information = 90
3.3 The Existing Information Regime = 93
3.3.1 Policies and Practices of Disclosure = 93
3.3.2 Secrecy Laws and Other Legal Restrictions = 93
The Official Secrets Act, 1926 = 94
The Security of Pakistan Act, 1952 = 94
The Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960 = 95
The Penal Code = 96
The Code of Criminal Procedure = 97
Laws of Contempt and Defamation = 98
Threats of Legal Action = 98
3.3.3 Laws exclusively related to the Press = 99
3.4 Restrictive Practices = 101
3.5 Record-Keeping = 103
3.6 Control of information flows via the media = 105
3.6.1 Broadcasting = 105
3.6.2 News Agencies = 107
3.7 Recent Developments and Official Resistance = 108
3.7.1 Advocacy Initiatives = 110
3.8 Conclusion = 111
ANNEX VI: Freedom of Information Ordinance, 1997
ANNEX VII: Draft Ordinance to Provide for Transparency and Freedom of Information, August 2000 = 116
CHAPTER 4: COUNTRY STUDY . SRI LANKA
4.1 Introduction = 120
4.2 The Need for Information = 120
4.2.1 Democracy = 120
4.2.2 Accountability and Good Governance = 121
4.2.3 Protecting Other Human Rights = 122
4.2.4 Promoting Peace = 125
4.3 The Existing Information Regime = 126
4.3.1 Constitutional Provisions = 132
4.3.2 Secrecy Laws and Other Legal Restrictions on access to information = 132
4.3.3 Restrictions Related to the Conflict = 135
Prior Censorship = 135
Access to the North and East = 137
Threats, violence and self-censorship = 137
4.4 Restrictive Practices and Record-Keeping = 139
4.5 Control of Information = 140
4.6 Recent Developments and Advocacy Efforts on Freedom of Information = 141
4.6.1 The Committee on Media Law Reform = 141
4.6.2 Draft Access to Official Information Act, 1996 = 143
4.7 Conclusion = 145
ANNEX VIII: Recommendations of the Sri Lanka Law Commission = 146
PART III: RECOMMENDATIONS
CHAPTER 5: RECOMMENDATIONS OF ARTICLE 19, CHRI, CPA and HRCP
5.1 Recommendations to Governments = 148
5.2 Recommendations to Civil Society = 149
5.3 Recommendations to the Business Community = 150
5.4 Recommendations to the International Community = 150