UZBEKISTAN
Law of the Republic of
Uzbekistan
"ON
GUARANTEES AND FREEDOM OF ACCESS TO INFORMATION"
President of the Republic of
Uzbekistan I. Karimov
Tashkent, 24 April 1997
Article 1
The aim of the law
This law regulates relations
arising in excercising a person's constitutional right freely and
without hindrance to seek, receive, study, pass on and
disseminate information.
Article 2
Legislation on
guarantees and freedom of access to information
The legislation on guarantees
and freedom of access to information consists of the Constitution
of the Republic of Uzbekistan, this law and other legislative
acts. Relations in the sphere of guarantees and freedom of access
to information in the Republic of Karakalpakstan are also
regulated by the legislation of the Republic of Karakalpakstan.
Article 3
Guarantees of the
access to information
Each citizen is guaranteed a
right to have access to information. The state protects
everybody's right to seek, receive, study, pass on and
disseminate information.
Article 4
Main principles of the
freedom of access to information
The main principles of the
freedom of access to information are following: publicity,
accessibility, openness and trustworthiness of information.
Article 5
Enquiring information
Everybody has a right by
himself or through his lawful representatives to apply in order
to receive information.
Article 6
Ways of enquiring and
term of considering the enquiry
One can enquire information
both in writing and orally. The written enquiry shall containe
surname, name, patronymic and address of a person enquiring, and
name information being requested or its nature. The written
enquiry shall be registered. The enquiry shall be answered as
soon as possible, but not later than after 30 days since the date
of the enquiry, if the legislation does not envisage the other.
The oral enquiry should be answered, if possible, immediately. In
case an organization or an official does not have information
asked for, they are obliged within seven days since the enquiry
is received to infrom about this the person who has enquired and
name him an organization or an official having the information.
Article 7
Ensurance of the access
to information
State bodies, self-government
bodies, public organizations, enterprises, establishments and
officials are obliged to ensure that everybody has an opportunity
to familiarise himself with documents, resolutions and other
materials to do with his rights and rightful interests. The
access to information shall be provided through publication and
dissemination of corresponding materials.
Article 8
Payment for information
provided
Information to do with rights
and rightful interests of a person enquired it shall be provided
free of charge. Other information can be charged for by agreement
between the parties.
Article 9
Iformation which cannot
be provided
State bodies, self-government
bodies, public organizations, enterprises, establishments and
officials cannot provide information containing state or other
protected by the law secrets.
Article 10
Confidentiality of a
source of information
The mass media have no right
to devulge the source of information or the author who uses a
pen-name without their consent. The source of information or the
author can be devluged only under a court decision.
Article 11
Responsibility for
trustworthiness of information
The mass media are obliged to
check authenticity of information published and together with the
source of information are responsible as is envisaged by the law
for its trustworthiness.
Article 12
The right to appeal
Action or inaction of state
bodies, self-government bodies, public organizations,
enterprises, establishments and officials which limits the
citizens' right to receive information can be appealed against in
court.
Article 13
Responsibility for
violating the right for information
Persons guilty of violating
the right for information are subject to sanctions under
legislation.
Article 14
International treaties
in the sphere of guaranteeing the freedom of access to
information
If an international treaty of the Republic of Uzbekistan establishes rules other than those envisaged in this law, then the rules of that international treaty will apply.