Open AccessInformation delayed is justice denied
Author(s) -
Jurij Toplak,
Boštjan Brezovnik
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
informatologia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.139
H-Index - 7
eISSN - 1848-7793
pISSN - 1330-0067
DOI - 10.32914/i.52.1-2.1
Subject(s) - freedom of information , human rights , freedom of expression , access to information , political science , convention , economic justice , law , order (exchange) , information access , public access , right to know , law and economics , business , internet privacy , public administration , computer science , sociology , world wide web , finance
European Court of Human Rights ruled in 2016 that the European Convention on Human Rights includes a right to access information held by public authorities. While according to international documents the procedures for accessing information should be ‘rapid’, the courts have yet to rule on what ‘rapid’ means and when the procedures are so long that they violate rights of those asking for information. This article analyses the length of proceedings in access to information cases in Slovenia and Croatia. It shows that these two countries do not have a system of effective protection of rights because the authorities can easily delay disclosure of information for several years. It argues that lengthy procedures violate the right to access the information and the freedom of expression. It then presents solutions for improving access to information procedures in order for them to become ‘rapid’