Huda Zakaria reveals features of freedom

The member of the Supreme Council of Information in Egypt, Chairman of the Committee for the Preparation of the Freedom of Information Act, Dr. Huda Zakaria, revealed that the committee is currently studying a number of experiences of countries that have already applied the experiment in terms of forms of laws and mechanisms to apply them.

She explained in an exclusive interview with Egypt Today that the experiences set by the committee to be studied are: the United States of America, South Africa, Switzerland, Jordan, India, Hungary, pointing out that the committee decided to hold its second meeting two weeks from now.

She noted that the law will help journalists address corruption issues through the mechanism of action established by law, and will also allow citizens to have access to information.

Zakaria added that a meeting will be held on 15 August, to review the results of all the laws studied in other countries to be benefited from the experiences and set positive parameters can be walked, explaining that the use of previous experiences the best way to break the law in line with the criteria necessary for success.

"The draft law to be prepared is a constitutional obligation stipulated in the Egyptian constitution for 2014. A committee was set up to study the experiences of neighboring countries and to implement the request of the media family to make the information available," she noted.

As for the philosophy of the bill, she explained that it is based on providing information, not blocking it, and facilitating citizens' access to the information necessary for them, in order to ensure the implementation of article 68 of the constitution on freedom of information.

"The draft law concerns media professionals in particular and the society as a whole," she said, stressing that the availability of information to the public will be expanded and information will be made available to them.

Regarding the main points of the draft law, Huda Zakaria pointed out that it includes definition of the purpose of the project, definition of information, in addition to determining the authority responsible for providing information, organizing the process of requesting information and obtaining it.