Proposed reforms aimed at denying costliest requests for publicly held information endanger fledgling Freedom of Information Act, says ARTICLE 19
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is a 19 June 2007 ARTICLE 19 press release: United Kingdom: Proposed Reforms Endanger Freedom of Information Act ARTICLE 19 has urged the British government to drop its plans to change the way in which costs for access to publicly held information are calculated. Responding to an official consultation, ARTICLE […]
Right to information threatened by parliamentary bill
(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders has strongly condemned the British parliament’s approval of amendments to the Freedom of Information Act, including one that would bar access to details of MPs’ expenses. “If these measures become law, it would be a setback,” the press freedom organisation said. “Access to information is a basic principle of democracy […]
Court sentences whistleblower, reseacher to prison, gags media; clear signal that “government secrecy remains strong,” says ARTICLE 19
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is an 11 May 2007 ARTICLE 19 press release: Blair’s Legacy: Official Secrecy or Open Government? The very day Blair formally announced his intention to step down as leader of the Labour Party, an Old Bailey judge sentenced a whistleblower to six months’ imprisonment and issued a gagging order against […]
Parliamentary committee approves bill exempting members from Freedom of Information Act
(IPI/IFEX) – The following is an 8 February 2007 IPI press release: Vienna, 8 February 2007 IPI Says Advance of Private Member’s Bill Further Dilutes UK Freedom of Information Act According to information provided to IPI, on 7 February, a Commons Committee of parliament approved a two-clause bill titled, the Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill […]
Freedom of Information Act further threatened by MP’s bill to exempt Parliament
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is a 26 January 2007 ARTICLE 19 press release: Freedom of Expression Organisations Contest Plans to Exempt Parliament from Freedom of Information Act MP David Maclean’s bill to exempt Parliament and MPs’ correspondence from the Freedom of Information Act presents a serious attack on the public’s right to know and […]
Proposed changes to Freedom of Information Act may be detrimental, says IPI
(IPI/IFEX) – The following is a 16 January 2007 IPI letter to Constitutional Affairs Secretary Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Rt. Hon. Lord Falconer of Thoroton Constitutional Affairs Secretary Lord Chancellor’s Department of Constitutional Affairs Selborne House 54 Victoria Street London SW1E 6QW United Kingdom Fax: +44 20 7210 8566 Vienna, 16 January 2007 Dear […]
RAPPORT CAPSULE: Le spectre du journaliste Martin O’Hagan plane toujours alors que le processus de paix relègue la lutte contre l’impunité au second plan, explique RSF
(RSF/IFEX) – Ci-dessous, une version abrégée d’un communiqué de presse de RSF daté du 27 septembre 2006: Le spectre du journaliste Martin O’Hagan plane toujours alors que le processus de paix relègue la lutte contre l’impunité au second plan, explique RSF LE SPECTRE DE MARTIN O’HAGAN PLANE TOUJOURS ALORS QUE LE PROCESSUS DE PAIX RELÈGUE […]
IPI urges greater emphasis on independent media in government’s thinking on African development issues
(IPI/IFEX) – The following is an IPI letter to British government authorities: H. E. Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Prime Minister’s Office 10 Downing Street London, SW1A 2AA United Kingdom Fax: +44 207 925 09 18 H.E. Hilary Benn MP Secretary of State for International Development Department for International Development 1 Palace Street London SW1E […]
Terror laws will have “chilling effect” on legitimate debate, says ARTICLE 19
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is a 24 April 2006 ARTICLE 19 press release: ARTICLE 19 today gave evidence to the Eminent Jurists Panel set up by the International Commission of Jurists to evaluate the impact of anti-terror laws and practices on the protection of human rights. ARTICLE 19’s evidence, which was limited to UK […]
Victory for free expression in acceptance of amendments to the Religious Hatred Bill
(WiPC/IFEX) – The following is a WiPC press release: Victory for free expression in British parliament The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN, the world association of writers representing member Centres in 99 countries, congratulates the English PEN Centre on its successful campaign that played a central role in the 31 January acceptance of […]
Proposed new offence of “encouragement of terrorism” incompatible with the right to freedom of expression, says ARTICLE 19
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is a 5 December 2005 ARTICLE 19 press release: On 5 December, the UK House of Lords will begin its detailed examination of the UK Terrorism Bill, which proposes a new offence of “encouragement of terrorism”. ARTICLE 19 does not believe that this new offence is compatible with the right […]
Terror law “chilling for democracy and press freedom,” warns IFJ
(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is a 3 November 2005 IFJ media release: Terror Laws in Australia and Britain “Chilling for Democracy and Press Freedom,” Warns IFJ The International Federation of Journalists today warned that anti-terror legislation being prepared independently by Britain and Australia could endanger democracy and press freedom and are “chilling for the exercise […]
Security Council resolution would give governments a pretext to suppress peaceful expression, says Human Rights Watch
(Human Rights Watch/IFEX) – The following is a 13 September 2005 Human Rights Watch press release: U.N.: Terrorism Resolution Opens Door to Repression (New York, September 13, 2005) – The British government has proposed a U.N. Security Council resolution that would give governments a pretext to suppress peaceful expression, Human Rights Watch said today. The […]
ARTICLE 19 welcomes European Court of Human Rights ruling on McLibel case
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is a 15 February 2005 ARTICLE 19 press release: STRASBOURG VINDICATES MCLIBEL PAIR In a ground-breaking judgment delivered today, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the libel trial launched by McDonalds against two campaigners who had criticised its social and environmental practices, often referred to as the McLibel […]
Playwright receives death threats, goes into hiding; English PEN launches campaign against “offence” law
(WiPC/IFEX) – The following is a WiPC, International PEN, advisory: UNITED KINGDOM: ENGLISH PEN SETS UP CAMPAIGN AGAINST “OFFENCE” LAW AS PLAYWRIGHT GOES INTO HIDING As playwright Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti goes into hiding following death threats from Sikh extremists, the British Government moves to introduce legislation that could make it illegal to express provocative views […]
IPI condemns British authorities’ seizure of two Indymedia Web servers
(IPI/IFEX) – The following is a 20 October 2004 IPI letter to British Home Secretary David Blunkett: Rt. Hon David Blunkett MP Home Secretary The Home Office 50 Queen Anne’s Gate London SW1H 9AT UK E-mail: public.enquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk Vienna, 20 October 2004 Your Excellency, The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors, leading journalists […]