STATEMENT 

Proposed amendments to the Armenian Law on Freedom of
Information will undermine the right of access to information if adopted by the
Armenian parliament. The amendments, to the FOI law adopted in September 2003,
limit the information which should be made available under the law and provide
greater scope for exemptions and classification of information through other
laws which could override the FOI law.  

“The proposed changes pose a serious threat to government
transparency and anti-corruption initiatives in Armenia,” commented Shushan
Doydoyan on behalf of the Freedom of Information Civic Initiative, which is
calling for the Government to withdraw the amendments.  

“When the current law was adopted by the Government, the
National Assembly, and the President just five months ago, it was hailed by
various international organizations as one of the best Laws on Freedom of
Information in the world, as well as one of the best laws adopted in Armenia in
2003. The amendments proposed by the Ministry of Justice runs the risk of
discrediting this achievement.” 

The Freedom of Information Civil Initiative notes that in
addition to restricting the information available to the public, the amendments
broaden the law to cover all legal persons and private entrepreneurs. Every
private business – including even a small restaurant or a shoe shop – would be
under the obligation to appoint information officers, define procedures for
providing information orally or in writing, and produce a register of all
information held. And once a year they would be obliged to publish a range of
information including the names and educational level of all staff and the
‘procedure for receiving citizens’.  

“Broadening the law in this way undermines the concept of
public access to government-held information as established in international
law, including in Council of Europe Recommendation 2002(2),” commented Doydoyan.
“The amendments would cause confusion and would undermine public confidence in
the right of access to information and in the government’s commitment to
transparency.” 

The Freedom of Information Civil Initiative calls on the
government to withdraw the proposed amendments to the Law on Freedom of
Information and to restate its commitment to implementing the FOI law currently
in force. We strongly believe that implementation of the Acting Law will become
an outstanding achievement of already declared political will of the authorities
of Armenia.   

A Statement in Armenian has been sent to the National
Assembly, the President, the Government, Mass media and the Ministry of Justice
of Armenia. 

For additional information please contact:

Karen Andreassyan, PhD, Lecturer of Law Department of YSU (tel.: (09)
413542),

Shushan Doydoyan, PhD, Chairperson of Information Freedom Center, Lecturer
of Journalism Department of YSU (tel. (09) 407836)

Artak Kirakosyan, President of Civil Society Institute (tel.: (09)
403609).