One could not argue that Freedom of information laws are only as good as the response mechanisms built into the laws themselves, and as good as the efficiency of the appeal procedures. If citizens cannot take an action to enforce their right of access being “shy” of filing a suit, or do not have enough financial resources to do that, FOI laws cannot serve as an active “pushing” system for more transparent government.
Therefore, in order to ensure a culture of openness and to give citizens a right to access to information, adequate and effective appeal mechanisms must be in place. Some appeal bodies or other institutions even have the power to fine public bodies or responsible officials in misdemeanour procedures for hindering the exercise of the right to access to information. Therefore, the administrations become accountable for the lack of openness or denying the individual his/her right to information and open government.
There are five systems of second-instance (appeal) decision-making when dealing with access to public information:
(author of this text: Nataša Pirc Musar)
Members of Information Commissioners' "community" are commissioners and ombudsmen.
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Cayman Islands Jennifer Dilbert, MBE, JP, |
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Chile Alejandro Ferreiro Yazigi, Curriculum Vitae |
Austria
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Azerbaijan Elmira Suleymanova, Curriculum Vitae |
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Estonia
Viljar Peep, Ph.D, |
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Germany, Federal Peter Schaar, Curriculum Vitae |
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Germany, Berlin Dr. Alexander Dix, Curriculum Vitae |
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Macedonia
Pece Tashevski (President), Curriculum Vitae Blerim Iseni (Vice President), Curriculum Vitae Katerina Dimeska (Member), Curriculum Vitae Marjanco Kolevski (Member), Curriculum Vitae Boban Panovski (Member) |
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Scotland
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Serbia Rodoljub Šabić, Curriculum Vitae |
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Slovenia Nataša Pirc Musar, Curriculum Vitae |
Switzerland Hanspeter Thür, Curriculum Vitae |
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UK Christopher Graham, |
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Canada Suzanne Legault, Curriculum Vitae |
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Canada , Ontario Ann Cavoukian, Ph.D., Curriculum Vitae |
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Mexico Jacqueline Peschard, Ph.D., Curriculum Vitae |
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