About IFEX:

News by region:

IFEX Campaigns and Advocacy:

IFEX Email Products:

Opportunities and assistance:

ARTICLE 19 SURVEYS ACCESS TO INFORMATION IN ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN, GEORGIA

ARTICLE 19 has published a new report highlighting the need for Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia to implement laws enabling the media and citizens to better access public information. The report assesses media laws and media ownership in each country and concludes that media in all three countries face significant barriers in accessing government information.

Based on interviews with dozens of journalists and results of a survey conducted with public officials and media outlets, the ARTICLE 19 report "Under Lock and Key" finds that government departments often create endless hurdles in the access to information process, including delaying responses to requests and in some cases, providing false information. Information on the environment and national security is particularly restricted.

ARTICLE 19 says journalists are often unaware of their legal rights and tend not to use the courts to challenge government refusals to release information. Even so, weak judicial systems make journalists skeptical about the ability of the courts to administer justice.

To download the report,
click here.

The Russian version is available
here.