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Category Archives: News

Guide on Using International Law on Freedom of Expression in Domestic Courts

 7 July 2022. The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) is today releasing A Guide on Using International Freedom of Expression Norms in Domestic Courts. This short but focused Guide aims to serve as a resource for lawyers seeking to use international legal standards relating to freedom of expression to enhance their domestic litigation. “In … Continue reading

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Guide for Journalists on Documenting International Crimes

5 July 2022 – for immediate release The Centre for Law and Democracy and News Media Europe are thrilled to launch the Guide for Journalists on How to Document International Crimes, with concrete recommendations for journalists and editors on how to capture information about international crimes so that it may be admitted as evidence in … Continue reading

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Myanmar: Summary of the Right to a Public Trial

30 May 2022. The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) has today published a briefing note, in English and Burmese, on the right to a public trial in response to media reports on closed judicial proceedings in Myanmar’s prisons. The military regime running Myanmar has reportedly established courts inside various prisons, including Insein Prison, to … Continue reading

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2022 Joint Declaration on Freedom of Expression and Gender Justice

3 May 2022. Today, the specialised mandates tasked with promoting and protecting freedom of expression at the UN, OAS, OSCE and African Commission launched their annual Joint Declaration under the title Freedom of Expression and Gender Justice. The Joint Declaration, which was drafted with the assistance of the Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD), sets … Continue reading

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Myanmar: Note on New Draft Cyber Security Law

2 May 2022. The military regime running Myanmar first proposed a draft Cyber Security Law in February 2021, but strong criticism from a number of companies and organisations, including the Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD), led to the temporary withdrawal of those proposals. In January 2022, however, the regime promulgated a new version of … Continue reading

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Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada: Courts Impose Excessive Limits on Power of Information Commissioner to Review Legal Documents

8 April 2022. The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) expresses deep disappointment in the recent decision of the Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court to deny the province’s information commissioner the authority to review documents which the government claims are protected by solicitor client privilege. This effectively deprives the commissioner of the power to review … Continue reading

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Canada: Submission on British Columbia Right to Information Law

31 March 2022. The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) has made a Submission to the British Columbia (BC) all-party Special Committee to Review the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), the local right to information law. This follows an appearance before the Committee by CLD Executive Director, Toby Mendel, on 16 … Continue reading

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Myanmar Resource Page

28 March 2022. In February 2021, Myanmar’s military overthrew the democratically elected government in a coup. Since then, they have conducted a highly repressive and frequently violent campaign against democracy advocates and human rights defenders. Independent media now operate largely underground as the regime has legally closed and harassed them and arrested journalists. The Centre … Continue reading

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Puerto Rico: Online Webinar on Access to Information and the SDGs

15 March 2022. The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) is collaborating with the Puerto Rican network Red de Transparencia and its member organisation Espacios Abiertos (EA) to host a series of events as part of Sunshine Week in Puerto Rico. These include meetings with a wide range of different stakeholders – from all three … Continue reading

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Colombia: Amicus Brief Challenging Rules Allowing Zero Rating

24 February 2022. The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) has submitted an amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief to the Constitutional Court of Colombia outlining freedom of expression concerns raised by an exception to Colombia’s net neutrality protections. The exception enables “zero-rating” schemes, whereby Internet access providers effectively give free access to certain … Continue reading

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Regressive Changes Proposed for El Salvador’s Right to Information Law

14 February 2022. (A Spanish translation is below) CLD is concerned that proposed changes to El Salvador’s Law on Access to Public Information will limit transparency and access to information in El Salvador. This is a disappointing development given that the current law is very strong and El Salvador has historically been a regional leader. … Continue reading

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Launch of Toolkit for Judges on Freedom of Expression

7 February 2022. The Training Manual for Judges on International Standards on Freedom of Opinion and Expression, a comprehensive toolkit for supporting judges to take into account international human rights standards on freedom of expression in their decisions, is being launched today. The toolkit was prepared by the Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) in … Continue reading

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Are You a Law Student Interested in International Human Rights? Summer Internship Applications Now Open

21 January 2022. The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD), an international human rights organisation based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, will host up to four interns for the summer of 2022. The position will involve a range of substantive legal work in areas such as freedom of expression, media law, digital rights and access to … Continue reading

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Panel Discussion Launch of SDG16 DI’s 2021 Global Report

7 December 2021. Toby Mendel, the Executive Director of Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD), will today be speaking at an online discussion panel from 11:00 – 12:30 EST at the launch of the 2021 Global Report of the Sustainable Development Goal 16 Data Initiative (SDG16 DI). The SDG16 DI is a consortium dedicated to … Continue reading

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Mongolia: Friendship Medal Awarded to the Centre for Law and Democracy’s Executive Director

6 December 2021. Toby Mendel, the Executive Director of the Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD), will today be presented with the Mongolian Friendship Medal by Mongolia’s Ambassador to Canada at a formal ceremony in Ottawa, Canada. The Friendship Medal, one of the highest honours that can be conferred on a foreigner by the Government … Continue reading

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For the Myanmar Press Council, Legitimacy Requires Independence

5 December 2021. The military regime running Myanmar recently hosted members of the new Myanmar Press Council (MPC) at a much-vaunted ceremony in Nay Pyi Taw. But the new MPC, appointed by the military after former members resigned following the February coup, does not have the independence needed to act as a legitimate media regulatory … Continue reading

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Interested in an Exciting Career as an International Human Rights Lawyer?

10 November 2021. The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) is looking for a successful, highly motivated person to begin working with us as a Legal Officer starting in January 2022 or shortly thereafter. The successful applicant will be rewarded with exciting, cutting edge legal work in countries all over the world, high-level representational opportunities … Continue reading

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Myanmar: Analysis of Amendments to the Broadcasting Law

8 November 2021. The military regime running Myanmar adopted amendments to the country’s formerly progressive Broadcasting Law on 1 November 2021. Adopted without any public consultations, the amendments make profound changes to the scope of the law so that it defines various online activities as “broadcasting”. They also add imprisonment as a sentence to the … Continue reading

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British Columbia: Note on Needed Revisions to Proposed Amendments to the Access to Information Legislation

1 November 2021.  The Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) is today releasing a Note providing in-depth assessments of the main proposed amendments to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) which are being proposed by the government of British Columbia, Canada, through Bill 22. The proposals represent a serious backsliding on … Continue reading

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British Columbia: Proposed Amendments Significantly Weaken Access to Information Legislation

27 October 2021. An assessment by the Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) using its internationally renowned RTI Rating has found that the amendments currently being considered by the Canadian province of British Columbia, in the form of Bill 22, would significantly undermine the right of individuals to access information held by public authorities. Specifically, … Continue reading

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