Category Archives: News

7 April 2023.  CLD has joined a letter calling on India to review and reform the legal and regulatory framework governing internet shutdowns in India. It notes that “(u)nfettered access for all to an open, secure, and reliable internet is vital to the protection of fundamental rights in India, and to ensure that the livelihoods … Continue reading →

5 April 2023. The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD), in collaboration with the Centre for Free Expression (CFE), the Canadian Institute for Information and Privacy Studies (CIIPS) and Democracy Watch, has made a Submission to Session 44 of the Universal Periodic Review on the Right to Information in Canada, a process which is overseen … Continue reading →

20 March 2023. The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) and the Institute for Research, Advocacy and Development (IRADA) have submitted an amicus curiae brief to the Islamabad High Court on behalf of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ). The case involves a constitutional challenge to Pakistan’s criminal defamation provisions, which provide for sanctions … Continue reading →

16 March 2023. Last week, the Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) submitted a Note on UNESCO’s Guidelines for Regulating Digital Platforms Draft 2.0 to UNESCO as part of the process of review of those Guidelines. The Note includes a number of general comments on the Guidelines along with more specific suggestions on amending individual … Continue reading →

27 February 2023. Today, the Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) is launching a report on Integrating Ethnic Content into Public Service Broadcasting, as part of its wider work focusing on Myanmar. The report outlines the key international standards governing public service broadcasting (PSB), and then focuses on how these broadcasters can and should reflect … Continue reading →

16 February 2023. The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) and Bank Information Center (BIC) are today launching two user-friendly Guides on making requests for information at the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The Guides describe how to file a request for information from these two institutions and how to appeal in … Continue reading →

8 February 2023. The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) is releasing three case studies featuring the work of the following media lawyers’ networks: Tornavoz, Brazil; Myanmar Media Lawyers’ Network; and Media Law Resource Center, United States. The case studies are authored by Charlene Nagae, Executive Director of Tornavoz, Jeffrey Hermes, Deputy Director of Media … Continue reading →

You are invited to a webinar on accessing information at the World Bank Group on 16 February 2023 at 10:00 AM EST. To join the webinar on 16 February, please click the following link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81888461343?pwd=WUkyZGlXc01odXdZaUtaMWc5SFUxUT09 

You are invited to a Panel Discussion: Case Studies in Building a Media Lawyers’ Network on 8 February 2023 at 10:00 AM EST. This panel discussion highlights the experiences of lawyers in three countries in forming a network of media lawyers. It will be moderated by Laura Notess, Senior Legal Officer at CLD, and will … Continue reading →

26 January 2023. The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) is today releasing a brief Note on a 2021 Amendment to Myanmar’s Counter-Terrorism Law. This Amendment, introduced by the military regime after the February 2021 coup, increased the penalties for a number of vaguely defined expressive acts linked to terrorism from one to three years’ … Continue reading →

20 December 2022. The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) is today releasing a new document, Model Training Materials: Hate Speech, Defamation and National Security. These training materials focus on three commonly applied restrictions on freedom of expression under international human rights law. They are designed as a resource for professional networks of media lawyers … Continue reading →

5 December 2022. Today, the Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) is releasing Inter-American Development Bank: Analysis of the Proposal for the New Access to Information Policy. The Analysis welcomes a number of improvements in the new Proposal, particularly in terms of tightening up the regime of exceptions by making most exceptions harm tested and … Continue reading →

17 November 2022. Today, the Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD), in collaboration with a number of other civil society organisations that make up the Sustainable Development Goal 16 Data Initiative, is launching a report on progress towards achieving SDG 16, SDG 16 Data Initiative Report 2022: Are we on track to meeting the 2030 … Continue reading →

3 November 2022. CLD has today released an Outline of the key elements that should be contained in any democratic legal framework which governs freedom of expression. The goal is to provide guidance to civil society and other interested stakeholders in Myanmar on how to create a framework which is consistent with international standards. “The … Continue reading →

1 November 2022. Azerbaijan adopted a new Law on Media in early 2022 which seeks to provide a comprehensive framework for media regulation. The Centre for Law and Democracy is today launching its Analysis of the new law. Despite some positive elements, the Media Law does not bring a forward-looking approach to regulating online media … Continue reading →

5 October 2022. The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) is today releasing a new document, Model Training Materials: Overview of Freedom of Expression under International Law. These training materials are designed as a resource for networks of media lawyers and other organisations which are working to build the capacity of lawyers to use international … Continue reading →

28 September 2022.  Today, 28 September 2022, is the 20th anniversary of International Right to Know Day, recognised formally by the United Nations as International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI). First recognised in 2002 by a group of civil society organisations focusing on the right to access information held by public authorities, or … Continue reading →

19 September 2022. On 25 March 2022, the military regime ruling Myanmar enacted the Myanmar Police Force Law, which replaced several laws previously governing Myanmar’s police forces. The new Law introduced structural changes to Myanmar’s police forces which raise concerns about further militarisation of the police in Myanmar, already a problem. It also introduces a … Continue reading →

10 August 2022. UNESCO and the Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) are today launching the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC): Access to Information Laws and Policies and their Implementation, looking at how to access information held by public authorities. This brand-new course on access to information is aimed at both requesters (demand-side) and information … Continue reading →