A decree cannot limit access to public information

The undersigned organizations express our concern about Decree 780/24 with which the National Executive Branch attempts to restrict the right of Access to Public Information.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”.

A regulatory Decree cannot limit the right of access to public information in contradiction with the scope of the Access to Information Law itself, voted by the National Congress in 2016.

The exceptions established by Law 27,275, which allow the State to refuse to provide the requested information, are far from what is regulated by the National Executive Branch. The aforementioned Decree expands the information that is outside the public interest, expands secrecy and provides discretion by leaving in the hands of public officials the definition of what is a public document and what information can be considered part of the private sphere of the authorities, giving them special protection.

Decree 780/24 represents a serious regression in the interpretation of the right of access to information in light of international standards on human rights and the fight against corruption, and creates a discretionary regulatory framework whereby the political definitions of the government and the subjective decisions of officials take precedence over the right to access information in the hands of the State.

We request the National Executive Branch to repeal this Decree and guarantee full access to public information.

Acción Colectiva – ACIJ – Alianza Regional por la Libre Expresión e Información – Amnistía Internacional- Andhes – Anima Chicos – ARPIAS (Salta)  – Asuntos del Sur – CADE – CAIP – Campaña por el Aborto (Salta) – CAREF – Carrera Comunicación (UBA)  –  CECIM (La Plata) – CEG (La Plata) – CELS – CEPPAS – CIDC – CIPCE – CIPPEC –  Clínica Jurídica de Acceso a la Información (UNLP) – Comunicación para la Igualdad – Conciencia – Consciente Colectivo – Democracia en Red – DEMOS – Directorio Legislativo – ELA – Escuela de Fiscales – FADECCOS – FARN – FATPREN – FEC – Festival Cine a la Vista – FIC – FOCIS (Salta) – FOPEA – F. para el Desarrollo Humano Integral – FUNDAR – FUNDEPS – Gestión Nativa –  Hora de Obrar – Huésped – ILSED – Incidencia Feminista –  INECIP – Khuyay – La Casa del Encuentro – La Fuerza de las Mujeres – Minka Digital – Mujeres en Igualdad – Mujeres por la Igualdad de Oportunidades – Mundosur – Nuestra Mendoza – Obs. de Just. Sanitaria y Climática Latam. – Patagonias.org – Periodistas Argentinas – Poder Ciudadano – RAAC – Red Ciudadana Nuestra Córdoba – REDCOM  – Red Par – Red Ruido – RIPVGAR – Salta Transparente – SES –  Sipreba – Unión Inquilinxs (Salta) – Vía Libre – Xumek