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The Principle of Public Access (Swedish: offentlighetsprincipen) is a principle of Swedish law and public administration that guarantees freedom of information and insight into the activities of government agencies. It applies to all levels of governement and also grants the right to freely and publicly discuss matters government activities. The Principle of Public Access is defined in the Constitution of Sweden and its applications are further defined in several other laws.
The purpose of the Principle of Public Access is to provide democratic insight into matters of government through five basic rights:
- access to official records and other documents
- attendance at court proceedings (hearings and trials)
- attendance at meetings of publicly elected legislative assemblies such as the Riksdag and municipal councils
- freedom of expression for government officials and employees
- freedom to communicate or publish information by government employees to the press and general public (protection of sources and whistleblowers)
The right to public access to official records is among the most important and well-known aspects of the Principle of Public Access. It is primarily defined in Chapter 2 of the Freedom of the Press Act in the Constitution of Sweden where it defines the nature of official documents. The general rule of the Principle of Public Access in relation to public documents is that they are considered open to anyone unless they are defined as secret in the Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act.
Instrument of Government, Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act, Riksdag Act and the Administrative Procedure Act (Sweden)
History edit
- https://sv.wikisource.org/wiki/Tryckfrihetsf%C3%B6rordning_1766
- cancelled in Swedish Constitution of 1772
- K. M:ts förnyade förordning och påbud angående skrif- och tryckfriheten (26 april 1774)
- Tillägg av den 3 maj 1785 till Kunglig kungörelse 6 maj 1780. Rätten att ge ut dagblad samt månads- och veckoskrifter är beroende av konungens eller kanslikollegiets privilegium.
- Kunglig skrivelse till kanslikollegium 24 aug 1785. Indragningsmakten is introduced
- 1792 års tryckfrihetsförordning
- § 85 in Instrument of Government (1809)
- Kunglig stadfästelse den 9 mars 1810 av ny tryckfrihetsförordning
- 16 juli 1812 - ny tryckfrihetsförordning decided by 1812 Riksdag; limitations in tryckfrihet
- jury in tryckfrihetsmål
- Riksdag of 1844-1845: indragningsmakten is removed
- http://libris.kb.se/bib/8207310 - first mention of "offentlighetsprincipen"?
The rights of public access edit
Access to official documents edit
The right to access to government records and archives is guaranteed in the Swedish Constitution in Chapter 2 of the Freedom of the Press Act (Tryckfrihetsförordningen, TF). The legal term is "official document" (allmän handling) and covers a wide variety of permanently recorded information, including traditional paper documents, photographs, audio and video recordings, digital databases, e-mails, etc.[1] The definition of an official document is broad and is limited only by what can be "read, listened to, or otherwise comprehended only [by] using technical aids" (TF Chapter 2, Article 3 §1). It focuses on the informational contents rather than the physical document itself.[2] In an unusual case, the county board in Östergötland received a large slice of leverpastej (a form of liver-based paste) with writing on it in a plastic bag. After deliberation by the county board's legal counsel, it was deemed not to be an official document since it was illegible when it was delivered.[3] An official document has to be relevant to the activities of a "public authority" (myndighet; TF Chapter 2, Article 3 §1), which includes all forms of state and local government agencies, state committees, the Riksdag and courts of law, but generally not state-owned companies, certain funds, nor the office of Marshal of the Realm (part of the Royal Court).[4]
Legally, official documents come into existence when they "have been received or drawn up" by a public authority, ie when they have been sent or received by a government agency, or created by it. By extension, an employee or elected official of a public authority can legally be defined as an official representative in certain situations that may appear private. Information received via private e-mail or even as a text to a private mobile phone can legally be defined as an official document if the content is relevant to the official function of the public authority.[5]
Official documents are defined as those which have been "drawn up" (upprättade), received or "dispatched" and "when the matter to which it relates has been finally settled by the authority, or, if the document does not relate to a specific matter, when it has been finally checked and approved by the authority, or has otherwise received final form" (TF Ch. 2, Art. 7, §1). With some exceptions, this extends to any information that has been sent from the authority (mailed, e-mailed, phoned in, etc.) and that in any way pertains to its official functions. Outlines, working notes and drafts are usually not considered official since they have not reached a "final form".[6]
All Swedish citizens (including legal persons) are guaranteed the right to take part of official documents according to the Freedom of the Press Act. Foreign citizens are granted the same right, though this right can be limited through normal legislation and is not protected by constitutional safeguards. However, no laws regulating limiting the rights of foreign citizens to access official documents have so far been enacted.[7] A person who wishes to access official documents has a right to make the request by any means of communication available to a public authority. A requester also has the right to remain anonymous and does not have to divulge the purpose of the request. Public authorities are prohibited from making any inquiries in this regard, except when it is relevant to determine whether secrecy would apply. In several cases, complaints brought before the Parliamentary Ombudsman has led to official criticism of various government agencies for demanding identification or even for photographing individuals who have taken part of official documents on an agency's premises.[8]
http://www.riksdagen.se/Global/dokument/dokument/laws/the-freedom-of-the-press-act-2012.pdf
http://www.svd.se/nyheter/inrikes/politikers-privata-sms-kan-granskas_2845883.svd (leverpastej)
The Act also guarantees freedom of speech in printed form and stipulates the general right to insight into the affairs of government at all levels.
(sekretessbelagda)
- party insight (partsinsyn)
Attendance at official proceedings edit
Freedom to inform edit
The Freedom of Press Act grants a "right to inform" to government employees. This guarantees the right to pass on information or document to mass media or other publication without fear of reprisals from the employer. Government agencies are forbidden to investigate the identity of informers among their employees, for example in the event of a news leak. Investigating or revealing the identity of informers or whistleblowers is a criminal offense. The right to inform is not applicable if the information is classified as secret in accordance to the Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act. Among several things, this includes divulging military secrets, violating medical confidentiality or committing treason.
Limitations edit
The determination of an official document as secret is done individually for each individual request to take part of information in official documents. Denying a request for official documents must be handled individually, and a refusal is subject to appeal by the requester.
Information can be classified as secret for the protections of the following:
- National security or foreign relations
- Central fiscal, monetary or currency policy
- Inspection, control or other supervisory activities of a public authority
- Preventing or prosecuting crimes
- Economic interests of public institutions
- Personal or economic circumstances of private subjects, including legal persons
- The preservation of animal or plant species
Oversight and appeal edit
Relevance to copyright edit
Notes edit
- ^ TF, Chapter 2:3 §1; Bohlin (2010), pp. 41–43
- ^ Bohlin (2010), pp. 44–45
- ^ Marit Sundberg "Leverpastej inte allmän handling", Journalisten, 10 December 2007. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
- ^ Bohlin (2010), pp. 57–60
- ^ Bohlin (2010), pp. 66–69
- ^ Bohlin (2010), pp. 80–81
- ^ TF Chapter 2 and 14:5, §2; Bohlin (2010), p. 19
- ^ Bohlin (2010), pp. 164–169
References edit
- Bohlin, Alf (2010) Offentlighetsprincipen. (8th edition) Nordstedts Juridik, Stockholm. ISBN 978-91-39-20538-8
- Courts of Sweden (2014), Ordlista för Sveriges Domstolar (Glossary for the Courts of Sweden),[1]
- Funcke, Nils (2006), Tryckfriheten : ordets män och statsmakterna. (second edition) Carlsson, Stockholm. ISBN 91-7331-009-3 - http://libris.kb.se/bib/10167965
- Government Offices of Sweden (2000), Svenska författningar i översättning till främmande språk[2]
- Government Offices of Sweden (2001), Ds 2001:7, Swedish statutes in translation[3]
- Government Offices of Sweden (2004), "Fundamental freedoms and rights"[4]
- Government Offices of Sweden (2005), "Swedish statues in translation"[5]
- Government Offices of Sweden (2009), Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act[6]
- Hellmark, Christer & Folke, Ingemar (2012) Rätten att kritisera överheten: kring den svenska tryckfrihetens historia Leopard förlag, Stockholm. ISBN 978-91-7343-431-7
- Nordin, Jonas (2015) 1766 års tryckfrihetsförordning: bakgrund och betydelse Kungliga Biblioteket, Stockholm. ISBN 978-91-7000-318-9
- Olsson, Anders R. (2008) Att stänga det öppna samhället : om ett politiskt missbrukat begrepp: personlig integritet. Tusculum, Enhörna. ISBN 9789197656740 - http://libris.kb.se/bib/11234198
- Olsson, Anders R. (2012) Yttrandefrihet & tryckfrihet : handbok för journalister. (seventh edition) Studentlitteratur, Lund. ISBN 978-91-44-07829-8 - http://libris.kb.se/bib/13503266
- Olsson, Anders R. & Liljestrand, Lars-Gunnar (2009) Till tryckfrihetens försvar : en ögnasten i ett fritt rike. Studentlitteratur, Lund. ISBN 9789144054070 - http://libris.kb.se/bib/11294726
- Schalling, Erik, "Statstanke och kyrklig självstyrelse" in Svensk Tidskrift, 1932
Bills and official government reports edit
- Konstitutionsutskottets betänkande (2009/10:KU26) Vissa vallagsfrågor[7]
- Regeringens proposition (1975/76:160) om nya grundlagsbestämmelser angående allmänna handlingars offentlighet[8]
- Statens offentliga utredningar 1927:2, Utredning med förslag till ändrade bestämmelser rörande allmänna handlingars offentlighet[9]
- Statens offentliga utredningar 1934:54, Betänkande angående tryckfriehtsprocessens ombildning avgivet av inom Justitiedepartementet tillkallade sakkunniga[10]
- Statens offentliga utredningar 1939:32, Betänkande angående revision av Tryckfrihetsförordningens ansvarighetsregler och därmed sammanhängande förhållanden avgivet av inom Justitiedepartementet tillkallade sakkunniga[11]
- Statens offentliga utredningar 1947:60, Förslag till Tryckfrihetsförordning avgivet av 1944 års tryckfrihetssakkunniga[12]