In March 2024, the parliament passed the amendments to Law No. 47 of 2007, known as the Law on Guarantee of Access to Information, to ensure the right to access information. Prior amendments were made to this law in 2012 and 2019 but were later postponed.
During its sessions in December 2023 and January 2024, the Parliament concluded the discussions which consisted of revision to the existing 20 articles and inclusion of 7 new articles.
The effectiveness of the existing 2007 Access to Information law in fostering a culture of transparency and the right to access information has been heavily criticized by national and international actors. While authorities have emphasized that the recent amendments align with international standards and seek to bolster transparency, integrity, and anti-corruption efforts, a legal examination of the amendments highlights fundamental deficiencies in the law and its procedural mechanisms.
On February 5th, ARDD organized a session featuring a panel of experts aimed at fostering a public discussion on the law and its amendments. Dr. Sawsan Al Majali led the panel, which also included Khaled Khalifat, a lawyer specializing in media and cybercrime, and Member of Parliament, Omar Al-Ayasrah.
