SCMR holds 1st meeting on Freedom of Information law

CAIRO - 27July 2017: A committee of the Supreme Council for Media Regulation (SCMR) held on Tuesday its first meeting to draft a law bans publishing classified information on the state’s national security.

The Freedom of Information law will help achieve transparency, fight corruption and put a limit to incorrect news, SCMR member Hatem Zakaria told Egypt Today on Wednesday.

“The law for all citizens, particularly the journalists,” he said, adding, “it will limit the false news, include the rights and duties of journalists, and ban the publication and circulation of classified information on national security.”

Zakaria noted that the law, which is currently being drafted, will guarantee the rights of individuals to obtain information.

The committee assured that they will make sure that “the period given to make the information declassified will be logical,” and helps those wishing to obtain information finish their work. The draft would stipulate a harsh penalty if the information is not provided and will be applied on public and private entities, in accordance with the law conditions, said Zakaria.

The law will be sent to the Council of Ministers after being drafted.


Following the Tuesday meeting, the committee rapporteur Hoda Zakaria told reporters that the committee will examine the freedom of information acts of other countries such as the United States, South Africa, Switzerland, Jordan, India and Hungary.

The Freedom of Information law is based on Article 68 of Egypt’s constitution stating that “information, data, statistics and official documents belong to the people, and the State is committed to providing them and making them available to the citizens.”

There has been no law that regulates the freedom of information since the constitution was drafted in 2014. However, other concerned bodies, such ministry of Justice and a civil society, had drafted other bills concern the freedom of information.