Call on government to sign convention on access to official documents

The Media Law Institute, “Telekritika” and the Institute for Mass Information have addressed an open letter to President Yanukovych and Prime Minister Azarov calling on them to sign the Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents.

This Convention guarantees everyone the right of access to official documents regardless of their motives or intentions, and includes the right of both individuals and legal entities with no discrimination as to nationality, to demand that documents held by public bodies be made available.

The Convention has been open for signing since June 2009, but Ukraine has thus far made no moves towards doing say. The letter, signed by Taras Shevchenko, Natalya Ligachova and Viktoria Syumar, calls on the President and Prime Minister to take this important step in the direction of openness and transparency.