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2007 Assessment

Armenia: Integrity Indicators Scorecard

Armenia: Integrity Scorecard Report > Sub-Category: Public Access to Information
Indicators		Score
12	Do citizens have a legal right of access to information?	100
13	Is the right of access to information effective?	55

Indicator and sub-Indicator Details

Do citizens have a legal right of access to information?

12a: In law, citizens have a right of access to government information and basic government records.

Score:

YES

Comments: In practice, the formal process to access government records or get information is often met with many bureaucratic barriers.

References: The Law of Freedom of Information of the Republic of Armenia www.parliament.am www.arlis.am

12b: In law, citizens have a right of appeal if access to a basic government record is denied.

Score:

YES

Comments:

References: The Law on Freedom of Information of the Republic of Armenia www. parliament.am www.arlis.am

12c: In law, there is an established institutional mechanism through which citizens can request government records.

Score:

YES

Comments: Each governmental office/institution has the post of press secretary -- a person who is responsible for public relations and media. However, the information made by this structure sometimes is not complete and systemized.

References: The Law on Freedom of Information of the Republic of Armenia www. parliament.am www.arlis.am

Is the right of access to information effective?

13a: In practice, citizens receive responses to access to information requests within a reasonable time period.

Score:

100

Comments: In reality, for citizens it's easer to get information from governmental, legislature-related bodies than from upper-governmental structures (Ministries and local governmental offices). They refused sometimes to give information because they were not familiar with laws or regulations. According to the Law on Freedom of Information, citizens are entitled to receive needed information that they have previously applied for within five days. However, this time frame is often violated because of the bureaucracy of civil servants, especially in certain regions of the country. A small part of the population (approximately 4% to 5%) can get information on laws adopted by the Parliament, governmental decrees, regulations, etc., via the Internet.

References: Interview with lead journalist of Yerevan Press Club, Mesrop Harutyunyan (August 7, 2007, at his office) Personal experience with governmental cases

Peer Review Comments: In most cases citizens don't submit written requests, which allows civil servants to not provide answers.

13b: In practice, citizens can use the access to information mechanism at a reasonable cost.

Score:

100

Comments: According to Article 10 of the Law on Freedom of Information, citizens can get up to 10 pages of information free of charge. Citizens also can get information by mail or online free of charge.

References: The Law on Freedom of Information of the Republic of Armenia, Article10 www.parliament.am www.arlis.am

13c: In practice, citizens can resolve appeals to access to information requests within a reasonable time period.

Score:

100

Comments: There is not a fixed time frame for resolving appeals to access to information.

References: Interview with lead journalist of Yerevan Press Club, Mesrop Harutyunyan (August 7, 2007, at his office) Personal experience with governmental cases

13d: In practice, citizens can resolve appeals to information requests at a reasonable cost.

Score:

100

Comments: The citizens will pay the formal payment for beginning the case as is usual. For middle-class citizens it is affordable to take proceedings at the First Instance Court. However, costs for appeals to the Courts of Review and Court of Cassation are too high for middle-class citizens, as are fees for attorney services.

References: Interview with lead journalist of Yerevan Press Club, Mesrop Harutyunyan (August 7, 2007, at his office) Personal experience with governmental cases

13e: In practice, the government gives reasons for denying an information request.

Score:

100

Comments: Often denials of information are unclear. Sometimes government officials explained refusals to give information with the argument that they have no right to give it or they cannot find it.

References: Interview with lead journalist of Yerevan Press Club, Mesrop Harutyunyan (August 7, 2007, at his office) Personal experience with governmental cases.