Source: http://www.rti-rating.org/view_country/?country_name=South%20Sudan
Timestamp: 2018-01-21 00:47:00
Document Index: 773889462

Matched Legal Cases: ['Art. 32', 'Art. 3', 'Art. 3', 'Art 5', 'Art 5', 'Art. 5', 'Art. 5', 'Art. 5', 'Art. 5', 'Art. 5', 'Art. 5', 'Art. 7', 'Art 2']

Name of law : Right of Access to Information Act, 2013
Sanctions	 8 8
Promotional measures	 16 15
TOTAL	 150 120
1 The legal framework (including jurisprudence) recognises a fundamental right of access to information. Score 0 for no constitutional right to information, 1 point for a limited constitutional right, 2 points for full constitutional recognition of a public right of access to information. 2 YES 32. Every citizen has the right of access to official information and records, including electronic records in the possession of any level of government or any organ or agency thereof, except where the release of such information is likely to prejudice public security or the right to privacy of any other person. Transitional Constitution Art. 32
2 The legal framework creates a specific presumption in favour of access to all information held by public authorities, subject only to limited exceptions. No=0, Partially=1, Yes=2 2 YES Art. 3, 4(3), 4(4) \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"maximum disclosure\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
3.2 (Y/N - max 1 point) 2 YES Art. 3, 4(2), 4(3)
4 Everyone (including non-citizens and legal entities) has the right to file requests for information. Score 0 point if only residents/citizens; 1 point for all natural persons; 1 point for legal persons. 2 NO 6 Only citizens
5 The right of access applies to all material held by or on behalf of public authorities which is recorded in any format, regardless of who produced it. Score 1-3 points if limited definition of information information such as not "internal documents" or databases excluded, 4 points for all information with no exceptions. 4 Partially Art 5 definition of \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"holds a record\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" includes information held by others on behalf of the public body, but seems to exclude information held by the public body on behalf of a non-public body. Otherwise, the definitions of \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"information\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" and \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"records\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" are reasonably broad.
6 Requesters have a right to access both information and records/documents (i.e. a right both to ask for information and to apply for specific documents). Score 1 point for only documents, 1 point for information 2 YES Art 5 definitions of \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"information\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" and \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"records\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" suitably broad.
7 The right of access applies to the executive branch with no bodies or classes of information excluded.This includes executive (cabinet) and adminsitration including all ministries, departments, local government, public schools, public health care bodies, the police, the armed forces, security services, and bodies owned or controlled by the above. Score 4 points for central government agencies covered: 1 for the head of state, 1 for ministries, 1 for other non-statutory agencies created by the ministries, 1 for state and local government if the government is unitary. If it´s a federalist system, 2 points for the non-statutory agencies. This can be determined by examining the length and thoroughness of the list, if such a schedule exists. Score 1 point for the archives. Add three points and deduct 1 for each exempted central agency (such as the armed forces, police, etc). 8 YES Definiiton of \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"public body\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" under Art. 5 covers this comprehensively.
8 The right of access applies to the legislature, including both administrative and other information, with no bodies excluded. Score 1 point if the law only applies to administrative documents, 2-3 points if some bodies excluded, 4 points if all legislative branch at all levels of government 4 YES Definiiton of \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"public body\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" under Art. 5 covers this comprehensively.
9 The right of access applies to the judicial branch, including both administrative and other information, with no bodies excluded. Score 1 point if the law only applies to administrative documents, 2-3 points if some bodies excluded, 4 points if all judicial branch at all levels of government 4 YES Definiiton of \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"public body\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" under Art. 5 covers this comprehensively.
10 The right of access applies to State-owned enterprises (commercial entities that are owned or controlled by the State). Score 1 point if some, 2 points if all 2 YES Art. 5 definition of public body includes anything owned, controlled or substantially financed by the State or National government.
11 The right of access applies to other public authorities, including constitutional, statutory and oversight bodies (such as an election commission or information commission/er). Score 1 point if some bodies, 2 points if all 2 YES Definiiton of \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"public body\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" under Art. 5 covers this comprehensively.
12 The right of access applies to a) private bodies that perform a public function and b) private bodies that receive significant public funding. 1 point for public functions, 1 point for public funding 2 YES Art. 5 definition of public body includes anything \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"substantially financed\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" by the government, or which carries out a public function. Also, see Art. 7, which allows access to information from a private body, if the info is necessary for the protection of a right.
14 Requesters are only required to provide the details necessary for identifying and delivering the information (i.e. some form of address for delivery). Score Max 2 points and deduct if requesters are required to give any of the following: ID number, telephone number, residential address, etc. 2 NO Not mentioned. 9(8) states that the form may not place unreasonable burdens or conditions on the requester - but this isn\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'t enough for a point here.
15 There are clear and relatively simple procedures for making requests. Requests may be submitted by any means of communication, with no requirement to use official forms or to state that the information is being requested under the access to information law. Max 2 points. Considerations include that there is no requirement to state that the request is under the RTI law, nor to use an official form, nor to identify the document being sought. 2 NO 9(1) - must be made in writing, though oral requests are allowed by 9(4) if the person is unable to file a written request. 9(8) seems to require the use of an official form, though it may not place unreasonable conditions or burdens on the requester.
16 Public officials are required provide assistance to help requesters formulate their requests, or to contact and assist requesters where requests that have been made are vague, unduly broad or otherwise need clarification. Score 1 point for help in formulation and 1 point for clarification procedures 2 Partially 9(3) - clarification requirements.
17 Public officials are required to provide assistance to requesters who require it because of special needs, for example because they are illiterate or disabled. Score Yes=2 point, No=0 2 Partially 9(4) illiteracy - no mention of disability.
18 Requesters are provided with a receipt or acknowledgement upon lodging a request within a reasonable timeframe, which should not exceed 5 working days Score 1 point for receipt, 1 point for max 5 working days 2 YES 9(9)
19 Clear and appropriate procedures are in place for situations where the authority to which a request is directed does not have the requested information. This includes an obligation to inform the requester that the information is not held and to refer the requester to another institution or to transfer the request where the public authority knows where the information is held. Score: 1 point for information not held, 1 for referrals or 2 for transfers 2 Partially 14 allows for referrals or transfers.
20 Public authorities are required to comply with requesters’ preferences regarding how they access information, subject only to clear and limited overrides (e.g. to protect a record). Score: 2 points for Yes, only 1 point if some limitations 2 YES 13
22 There are clear and reasonable maximum timelines (20 working days or less) for responding to requests, regardless of the manner of satisfying the request (including through publication). Score: 1 point for timeframes of 20 working days (or 1 month, 30 days or 4 weeks). Score 2 points for 10 working days (or 15 days, or two weeks) or less. 2 YES 10(1) - seven working
23 There are clear limits on timeline extensions (20 working days or less), including a requirement that requesters be notified and provided with the reasons for the extension. --- 2 Partially days.10(3) limits extensions to 20 days, but no requirement for notification.
24 It is free to file requests. Score: No=0, Yes=2 points 2 NO 12 implies there are no requesting fees, but this is not explicit.
25 There are clear rules relating to access fees, which are set centrally, rather than being determined by individual public authorities. These include a requirement that fees be limited to the cost of reproducing and sending the information (so that inspection of documents and electronic copies are free) and a certain initial number of pages (at least 20) are provided for free. Score 1 point for fees being limited to reproduction and delivery costs and set centrally, 1 point for at least 20 pages free of charge or for fees being optional 2 YES 12 - access fees are set centrally, and are limited to the reproduction costs, and specifically exclude costs for searching, transcribing or examining. 12 also implies fees are optional.
26 There are fee waivers for impecunious requesters --- 2 YES 12(4) mentions financial hardship
28 The standards in the RTI Law trump restrictions on information disclosure (secrecy provisions) in other legislation to the extent of any conflict. Score 4 points for a resounding "yes" and 1/2/3 points if only for some classes of information or for some exceptions. If the state secrets law is not trumped by the RTI law max score is 2 points. 4 YES Art 2 - Any existing legislation on the subject governed by this act is hearby repealed…
29 The exceptions to the right of access are consistent with international standards. Permissible exceptions are: national security; international relations; public health and safety; the prevention, investigation and prosecution of legal wrongs; privacy; legitimate commercial and other economic interests; management of the economy; fair administration of justice and legal advice privilege; conservation of the environment; and legitimate policy making and other operations of public authorities. It is also permissible to refer requesters to information which is already publicly available, for example online or in published form. Score 10 points and then deduct 1 point for each exception which either (a) falls outside of this list and/or (b) is more broadly framed 10 Partially 33(2) - exception for frivolous or vexatious requests is too broad, allowing for dismissal where the request would \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"result in a diversion of [the public body\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s] resources\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
31 There is a mandatory public interest override so that information must be disclosed where this is in the overall public interest, even if this may harm a protected interest. There are ‘hard’ overrides (which apply absolutely), for example for information about human rights, corruption or crimes against humanity. Consider whether the override is subject to overarching limitations, whether it applies to only some exceptions, and whether it is mandatory. 4 YES 22(1)
32 Information must be released as soon as an exception ceases to apply (for example, for after a contract tender process decision has been taken). The law contains a clause stating that exceptions to protect public interests do not apply to information which is over 20 years old. Score 1 point for each 2 Partially There is a sunset clause in 34(2), though it doesn\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'t apply to all excpetions, and it lasts for 30 years, which is a bit long.
34 There is a severability clause so that where only part of a record is covered by an exception the remainder must be disclosed. Score 1 point if yes but sometimes can be refused (eg: if deletions render meaningless the document) and 2 points if partial access must always be granted 2 YES 24
35 When refusing to provide access to information, public authorities must a) state the exact legal grounds and reason(s) for the refusal and b) inform the applicant of the relevant appeals procedures. Score Y/N: 1 point for a and 1 point for b 2 YES 11(2) requires reasons, 11(4) requires the appeals avenue.
36 The law offers an internal appeal which is simple, free of charge and completed within clear timelines (20 working days or less). Score 2 points if the internal appeal fulfills these criteria, 1 point if an appeal is offered that does not fulfill this criteria, 0 for no internal appeals. 2 YES 46-48
37 Requesters have the right to lodge an (external) appeal with an independent administrative oversight body (e.g. an information commission or ombudsman). 1 for partial, 2 for yes 2 YES 41
38 The member(s) of the oversight body are appointed in a manner that is protected against political interference and have security of tenure so they are protected against arbitrary dismissal (procedurally/substantively) once appointed. Score: 1 point for appointment procedure, 1 point for security of tenure 2 Partially 35 - appointed by President from candidates selected by the Minister in consultation w media and civil society, and then approved by the legislature. No security of tenure w s. 36.
40 There are prohibitions on individuals with strong political connections from being appointed to this body and requirements of professional expertise. Score 1 point for not politically connected, 1 point for professional expertise 2 Partially 35(4)(b). 35(3) and 35(4)(a) require consideration of their qualifications, but this is a bit vague for full points.
41 The independent oversight body has the necessary mandate and power to perform its functions, including to review classified documents and inspect the premises of public bodies. Score 1 point for reviewing classified documents, 1 point for inspection powers 2 Partially 44(1) and (2) - though inspection powers are not mentioned.
42 The decisions of the independent oversight body are binding. Score N=0, Y=2 points 2 YES 42(4) and 45(4)
43 In deciding an appeal, the independent oversight body has the power to order appropriate remedies for the requester, including the declassification of information. 1 for partial, 2 for fully 2 YES 42(4) is quite broad here, as is 43(2).
44 Requesters have the right to lodge a judicial appeal. 1 for partially, 2 for fully. 2 YES 45(2)
46 The grounds for appeal to the oversight body (where applicable, or to the judiciary if no such body exists) are broad (including not only refusals to provide information but also refusals to provide information in the form requested, administrative silence and other breach of timelines, charging excessive fees, etc.). Score 1 point for appealing refusals, additional points for appealing other violations. 4 YES 41
47 Clear procedures, including timelines, are in place for dealing with external appeals (oversight/judicial). Score 1 point for clear procedures, 1 point for timelines. 2 Partially 42(1) contains a timeline, though procedures are a little unclear.
48 In the appeal process (oversight/judicial/) the government bears the burden of demonstrating that it did not operate in breach of the rules. Score Y/N and award 2 points for yes. 2 YES 42(3) and 45(3)
49 The external appellate body has the power to impose appropriate structural measures on the public authority (e.g. to conduct more training or to engage in better record management) 1 for partial, 2 for fully. 2 YES 42(4) provides for very broad remedies.
50 Sanctions may be imposed on those who wilfully act to undermine the right to information, including through the unauthorised destruction of information. Score 1 point for sanctions for underming right, 1 point for destruction of documents 2 YES 52(1)
51 There is a system for redressing the problem of public authorities which systematically fail to disclose information or underperform (either through imposing sanctions on them or requiring remedial actions of them). Score 1 point for either remedial action or sanctions, 2 points for both 2 YES 40(1) allows for broad investigations into compliance which, combined with 42(4) and 43(2) satisfy this indicator.
52 The independent oversight body and its staff are granted legal immunity for acts undertaken in good faith in the exercise or performance of any power, duty or function under the RTI Law. Others are granted similar immunity for the good faith release of information pursuant to the RTI Law. Score 1 for oversight body, 1 for immunity for others 2 YES 44(3) and (4).
53 There are legal protections against imposing sanctions on those who, in good faith, release information which discloses wrongdoing (i.e. whistleblowers). Score 2 for strong protections, 1 for moderate protections 2 YES 51
54 Public authorities are required to appoint dedicated officials (information officers) or units with a responsibility for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations. Score Y/N, Y=2 points 2 YES 16(1)
55 A central body, such as an information commission(er) or government department, is given overall responsibility for promoting the right to information. Score Y/N, Y=2 points 2 YES 40(1) includes a duty to publicise RTI, and other promotional roles.
56 Public awareness-raising efforts (e.g. producing a guide for the public or introducing RTI awareness into schools) are required to be undertaken by law. Score Y/N, Y=2 points 2 YES 15 requires that a guide be developed.
57 A system is in place whereby minimum standards regarding the management of records are set and applied. Score Y/N, Y=2 points 2 YES This is provided for by 16(2) and 19.
58 Public authorities are required to create and update lists or registers of the documents in their possession, and to make these public. Score Y/N, Y=2 points 2 Partially 17(3)(d) mentions information about types of information that the public body holds, which touches on this.
59 Training programs for officials are required Score Y/N, Y=2 points 2 YES 20
60 Public authorities are required to report annually on the actions they have taken to implement their disclosure obligations. This includes statistics on requests received and how they were dealt with. Score Y/N, Y=2 points 2 YES 21
61 A central body, such as an information commission(er) or government department, has an obligation to present a consolidated report to the legislature on implementation of the law. Score Y/N, Y=2 points 2 YES 40(2)