NCHR discusses draft amendments for Right to Access Information

AMMAN — The National Centre for Human Rights (NCHR) on Wednesday organised a session for civil society to discuss the draft amendments related to the Law of the Right to Access Information.

“This meeting aims to institutionalise an effective national system for legislation that aims to guarantee better communication between the legislation and the society,” said Chairperson of the NCHR Board of Trustees Samar Haj Hassan. 

In addition, Haj Hassan, who was speaking at the NCHR headquarters, said the aim is to also analyse social, economic, cultural and political phenomena in society through impact studies of the proposed legislation.

The meeting was attended by members from ministries, government institutions, the judiciary branch, academic bodies, civil society organisations, unions, media figures, journalists and experts.

Haj Hassan also referred to His Majesty King Abdullah’s statements that stressed the importance of developing the draft law that guarantees the right to access information “since it is a constitutional right that must be guaranteed”.

During a meeting in August with NCHR president and members and the Jordan Press Association president, King Abdullah reaffirmed Jordan’s commitment to political and media pluralism, adding that the Kingdom was never an oppressive country and will never be one, and its history is a testament to that.

King Abdullah said during the meeting that he directed the government to review the draft law guaranteeing access to information, to ensure everyone’s right of timely access to correct and accurate information, which contributes to countering rumours and false news.

The NCHR facilitator Reem Abu Dalbouh, highlighted the centre’s early efforts in developing the necessary recommendations regarding the right of access to information at the level of legislation, applied policies and practices. 

Haj Hassan stated at the end of the meeting that “our ultimate goal is to improve the provisions of this law, after which these observations made today will be documented, classified, reviewed and adopted so that it will be presented before the Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament”. 

In September of this year, the NCHR issued a statement marking the International Day for Universal Access to Information, urging the speeding up the process of endorsing the draft law. The NCHR also stressed the importance of the law in promoting and protecting human rights in the Kingdom. The NCHR also highlighted that the draft law must be in line with the Jordanian Constitution and international human rights standards.

The centre also said the right of access to information enjoys international guarantees through various treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the United Nations Convention against Corruption.