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2007 Assessment

Colombia: Integrity Indicators Scorecard

Colombia: 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?	60

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: According to the Constitution, everyone has the right to access public documents except in cases established by Law (art. 74), and several legal documents develop this right.

In the Law 190 of 1995, known as the Anti-corruption Law, it is stated that journalists have guaranteed access to documents and administrative acts that explain the behavior of public authorities without any restriction, except those manifested in laws. It is also stated that authorities should inform journalists about penal accusations to public authorities, even if they are still ongoing and under reserve. Finally, the obstruction of the access of the citizenry, and especially media, to documents is causal of bad behavior for a public servant. However, it is also stated that the decision to deny documents can be motivated by legal or constitutional reserve.

References: LEY 190 DE 1995, (junio 6), "por la cual se dictan normas tendientes a preservar la moralidad en la Administración Pública y se fijan disposiciones con el objeto de erradicar la corrupción administrativa."

Peer Review Comments: There are, however, restrictions regarding the details provided. For instance, the citizens have the right to access data from the public services database (Sistema Unico de Informacion, SUI), managed by the Superintendencia de Servicios Publicos Domiciliarios, although this only gives them access to highly aggregated data..

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

Score:

YES

Comments: The appeal mechanisms for access to information requests are the same that are used to appeal any other administrative decision and to protect the basic right to information. The Constitution contemplates three mechanisms to defend basic human rights, which are often used to appeal the denial of information requests. Those mechanisms are the "accion de tutela" (resource to protect basic rights or tutelage) (art. 86) to protect individual rights when they have been wounded by action or omission of public authorities. These mechanisms have to be answered within 10 business days. The "accion de cumplimiento" (art 87) is usually used as an appeal mechanism for "tutelas," and "acciones populares" (art. 88) focuses on the protection of collective rights.

Additionally, there are mechanisms to appeal any administrative decision, which are reposition and appeal, and if these mechanisms are exhausted, there are judicial resources such as nullity and reparation.

References: Constitucion Politica de Colombia 1991 art, 86, 87,88.

LEY 393 DE 1997 (julio 29) Diario Oficial No. 43.096, de 30 de julio de 1997 Por la cual se desarrolla el artículo 87 de la Constitución Política.

LEY 472 DE 1998 (agosto 5) Diario Oficial No. 43.357, de 6 de agosto de 1998 "Por la cual se desarrolla el artículo 88 de la Constitución Política de Colombia en relación con el ejercicio de las acciones populares y de grupo y se dictan otras disposiciones."

DECRETO 1 DE 1984 (enero 2) Diario Oficial No. 36.439, del 10 de enero de 1984 Por el cual se reforma el Código Contencioso Administrativo, art. 50 [ LINK ]

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

Score:

YES

Comments: The mechanism to make effective the right to access public information is the right of petition (art. 23) that enables any citizen to make information requests to public authorities and to get a prompt response (within 15 days).

References: Constitucion Politica de Colombia (art. 20, 23). Ley 57 de 1985 "Por la cual se ordena la publicidad de los documentos y actas oficiales." [ LINK ]

DECRETO 1 DE 1984 (enero 2) Diario Oficial No. 36.439, del 10 de enero de 1984 Por el cual se reforma el Código Contencioso Administrativo, Capitulo IV. [ LINK ]

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 recent years, there have been important advances in terms of access to information through the use of information technologies and the programs designed by the government to let entities publish their information online. In the area of government, 100 percent of institutions at the national level have implemented systems of information via the Internet, and according to the 2005 UN Global e-readiness report, Colombia is among the top 10 countries in implementing online participatory services. However, despite these advances in accessing general information, there are still many problems at the local level and in accessing sensitive information. At the municipal level, only 40 percent of municipal institutions have published information online.

In practice, public authorities may hide or delay sensitive information even though there are formal mechanisms to expedite process, such as the right of petition, which has to be answered in 10 business days for information requests. Public authorities may not answer rights of petition within the time period, and although citizens may refer to the "accion de tutela" to demand the answers, this process creates a time burden on the citizen.

The right to access information is guaranteed in the Constitution in all public documents except those considered sensible or reserved, and sometimes public authorities argue reserve in many documents. For citizens, it is not clear when information is not reserved or what the scope is of the right of petition.

Another problem is that even when documents are released, information is not available, because records are not properly organized or information is not completely credible. As an example, statistics on the armed conflict (information commonly used by journalists) varies enormously between governmental and non-governmental sources.

Another restriction while accessing information is the restriction on judicial files that are still open, over which there is no final decision. Although the restriction in normal, given the rates of impunity, it may take years to access information on certain judicial processes.

According to the 2005 statistics of the Defensoria del Pueblo (Ombudsman), the right of petition is the third right most threatened by the state and from which they receive more complaints asking for protection of the right (703 in 2005). In the same vein, the right of petition is among the three basic rights most commonly protected through "tutelas" (tutelage action).

References: Corporación Transparencia por Colombia. 2002. El sistema nacional de integridad en Colombia: Análisis y resultados del estudio de caso. Cuadernos de Transparencia # 4. Bogotá.

Corporación Transparencia por Colombia. 2004. Informe del Comité de Expertos de la organización de estados Americanos: Implementación en Colombia de las disposiciones de la Convención Interamericana contra la corruption. Cuadernos de Transparencia # 6. Bogotá.

Ruiz, Marta. Colombia: acceso sin transparencia.[ LINK ]

XIII Informe del Defensor del Pueblo al Congreso de la República 2005. Corporación excelencia en la justicia. 2006. Investigación, el impacto de la accion de tutela en la corte suprema de justicia 2003.

2006 Investigadores Gloria María Borrero, Ana Lucía Gutiérrez, Jorge Bautista, Luz María Orozco, Andrea Castellanos, María Mercedes Hoyos, Andrés Ucrós, Luis Alberto Castel.

UN Department of Social and Economic Affairs. 2005. Global E Government Readiness Report.

Interview with Juan Fernando Zarama. Program for Public Administration Reform PRAP.June 2005. Bogotá.

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

Score:

100

Comments: The cost of access to information may vary between institutions at the national and local level. At the national level, a good amount of information can be found online, whereas this is not the case at the local level. In the area of e-government, 100 percent of institutions at the national level have implemented systems of information via the Internet, while only 40 percent at the municipal level have done it.

A recent survey on citizen perceptions about democracy in Colombia shows that the perception on accountability is better at the national than at the local and departmental levels (42 percent, 38 percent and 34.9 percent, respectively) and the perception of transparency is also better at the national than at the municipal level (35.8 percent and 29 percent, respectively).

The mechanism used for information requests (right of petition) can be easily used by citizens without any cost, however obtaining information in practice may create costs especially for information on local governments or politically sensitive information.

References: Rodriguez Raga, Juan Carlos and Sellingson, Mitchell. 2007. La Cultura Política de la Democracia en Colombia. Vanderbilt University.

Interview with Juan Fernando Zarama. Coordinator Transversal Reforms on e government, systems of information and rationalization of administrative procedures, Program for Public Administration Reform. June 8 2005. Bogotá.

United Nations Department of Social Economic Affairs. Global E Government Readiness Report.

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

Score:

100

Comments: Citizens can appeal decisions on access to information requests through the "accion de tutela" (tutelage action to protect basic rights). This appeal mechanism has to be answered within ten business days. The appeal and nullity mechanisms for administrative acts have to be answered immediately or within 30 days maximum if there has to be an investigation process.

Although all these mechanisms have improved the protection of basic rights, in many cases when citizens request information, they are not fully aware of the mechanisms they can appeal to protect the right to access information. Also in many cases, although mechanisms are simple to use, given time or knowledge restrictions, average citizens cannot use these mechanisms.

The relatively easy access that citizens have to tutelage actions is reflected in the increasing number of "tutelas" presented by citizens, even to the point that there is a notable judicial congestion derived from them that may create future delays in answering these appeal mechanisms.

References: Corporación Transparencia por Colombia. 2002. El sistema nacional de integridad en Colombia: Análisis y resultados del estudio de caso. Cuadernos de Transparencia # 4. Bogotá. DECRETO 1 DE 1984, (enero 2), Diario Oficial No. 36.439, del 10 de enero de 1984 "Por el cual se reforma el Código Contencioso Administrativo."

Corporación Transparencia por Colombia. 2006. TUTELA POR VULNERACIÓN DEL DERECHO DE PETICIÓN DE INFORMACIÓN: una herramienta ciudadana para defender el derecho de acceso a la información pública -Estudio analítico- Bogotá.

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

Score:

100

Comments: According to the 2005 statistics of the Defensoria del Pueblo (Ombudsman), the right of petition is the third right most threatened by the state and from which they receive more complaints asking for protection of the right (703 in 2005).

To protect it, citizens can refer to the "accion de tutela" or tutelage action as a way to appeal negative decisions on information requests. Different studies show that the "tutela" has reduced the costs of appealing a decision as the resource can be used directly by the citizen without a lawyer. In fact, an study of the Corporación Excelencia en la Justicia shows that most of the tutelas presented to the Supreme Court of Justice have been presented by citizens without the mediation of a lawyer. The relatively easy access that citizens have to tutelage actions is reflected in the increasing number of "tutelas" presented by citizens, even to the point that there is a notable judicial congestion derived from them.

References: XIII Informe del Defensor del Pueblo al Congreso de la República 2005.

Derechos reservados. Corporación Excelencia en la Justicia. 2006 CORPORACIÓN EXCELENCIA EN LA JUSTICIA. 2006. INVESTIGACIÓN EL IMPACTO DE LA ACCION DE TUTELA EN LA CORTE SUPREMA DE JUSTICIA 2003 2006 Investigadores, Gloria María Borrero, Ana Lucía Gutiérrez, Jorge Bautista, Luz María Orozco, Andrea Castellanos, María Mercedes Hoyos, Andrés Ucrós,Luis Alberto Castel.

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

Score:

100

Comments: According to Law (administrative code), all public servants must explain to the petitioner and the Public Ministry when the decision on an information request is negative, however sometimes these explanations are too vague. The right to access information is guaranteed in the Constitution for all public documents, except those considered sensible or reserved, and sometimes public authorities may use the reserve argument to deny a request, even if the reserve on the document is not real. The problem then is that the extent of reserve is not clear or regulated.

According to a recent study of the Corporation Transparency for Colombia, the most common reason for citizens to use appeal mechanisms on rights of petition for information requests is that the entity does not give any response at all on the requests. This is the reason of 88 percent of tutelage mechanisms (appeal) presented by citizens on 2002. From those requests, 54 percent were conceded to those who demanded it, showing that at least in half of the cases, the entity before which the request was made did not provide appropriate response.

According to the same study, the areas in which citizens use appeals on information request more commonly are: social security, job related issues, administrative procedures, identification documents, and financial information services. The institutions that more commonly cause those appeal mechanisms are: The Institute of Social Security, the National Registry ( Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil), the Bogotá Mayor´s Office, the National Police, the National Army and the Barranquilla Mayor´s Office.

References: Corporación Transparencia por Colombia. 2002. El sistema nacional de integridad en Colombia: Análisis y resultados del estudio de caso. Cuadernos de Transparencia # 4. Bogotá.

INTERVENCIÓN DE ROSA INÉS OSPINA NOTAS SOBRE LA INFORMACIÓN PÚBLICA EN COLOMBIA Y SU ACCESO POR LA CIUDADANÍA Foro Deliberativo: La sociedad civil colombiana frente al fortalecimiento de la democracia en las Américas: construcción de una agenda propositiva.

Bogotá, 22 de noviembre del 2004 Universidad de los Andes.

Corporación Transparencia por Colombia. 2002 Respuesta al Cuestionario del Comité de Expertos del Mecanismo de Seguimiento de la Implementación de la CONVENCIÓN INTERAMERICANA CONTRA LA CORRUPCIÓN.