Monday, 29 January 2018 from 18:00 to 19:30 (GMT)
ARTICLE 19 and the Foreign Policy Centre are delighted to host a Westminster seminar exploring the ways in which citizens and journalists in Russia can hold their local and national government to account. On paper Russia’s 2010 Law ‘on Providing Access to Information on the Activities of State Bodies and Bodies of Local Self-Government’ has provided citizens with the right to request and receive information, setting out a clear procedure for such requests and giving the government a responsibility to provide the required information. However fulfilling these rights continues to be challenging in practice, further undermining the work of civil society and media freedom.
The seminar will explore the ways in which these challenges are similar to those found in the Freedom of Information processes of other countries such as the UK and where Russian citizens face additional barriers due to the approach of their current Government. The seminar will also look at the creative ways in which NGOs, citizens, and independent journalists are using information and data to push for reform at a local level and demand action from larger institutions. Representatives of Team 29, a collection of lawyers promoting the right to information in Russia who were instrumental in the adoption of the 2010 Law, as well as leading Russian journalists will discuss their experiences supporting efforts to improve transparency in Russia and discuss how the international community can provide support.
Speakers
- Ivan Pavlov, Human Rights Lawyer and Head of Team 29
- Tatiana Tolsteneva, Project Coordinator, Team 29
- Gregory Shvedov, Editor in Chief of Caucasian Knot
- Chair: Stephen Gethins MP, Foreign Affairs Select Committee and Scottish National Party International Affairs and Europe Spokesperson
Register online
Attendance is free but please register online via Eventbrite.