No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeLegislative AssemblyLegislative Assembly reverses order restricting access to information

Legislative Assembly reverses order restricting access to information

The Legislative Assembly’s directorate this week reversed a controverial gag order prohibiting officials from giving information or statements to the press without approval by the Assembly’s executive director.

In a public statement released Wednesday directorate members said that “the decision comes as a result of a deep analysis in recent weeks in which we have taken into consideration relations with the media and also the citizens’ rights to access public information objectively.”

Assembly President Henry Mora Jiménez, from the ruling Citizen Action Party, and secretaries Jorge Rodríguez Araya and Luis Vásquez Castro, from the Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC), signed the order restricting access to information on Dec. 10, 2014. However it wasn’t disclosed to Assembly members until an internal memo went out in early February.

The gag order received severe criticism from citizens, members of the media and other lawmakers.

Among the critics was Rolando González Ulloa, legislative leader of the National Liberation Party, who last month filed a complaint with the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court. González asked the court to reverse the order, arguing that it constituted “a threat to freedom of expression, access to information and the press in our country.”

At the time, PUSC’s Vázquez denied that the order limited access to information.

“We are enforcing a 2009 agreement that is currently being used in all public offices,” he said at the time. “We are simply naming an official spokesperson. The move is necessary because some people here have shared information and documents regarding decisions that haven’t yet been approved,” he said.

Trending Now

El Salvador Schools Enforce Military-Style Uniform Inspections

El Salvador's public schools will start enforcing daily inspections for students' uniforms and haircuts from August 20, as ordered by the new education minister,...

An Expat’s Life with a Rescue Dog in Costa Rica

For the past 15 months I have been the primary caretaker of a bona fide street dog, a barrio zaguate called Dorothy. My wife...

Costa Rica Anglers Catch Rare Orange and Albino Nurse Shark

Anglers on a fishing trip off Costa Rica's Caribbean coast caught a nurse shark unlike any seen before: bright orange skin and stark white...

Honduras agrees to receive migrants under new US deportation agreement

The US has signed a new deportation agreement with Honduras, allowing officials to send migrants from other countries there instead of keeping them in...

Costa Rica National Parks to Measure Tourism Impact

Costa Rica will now be able to measure the impact of tourism in its national parks, thanks to innovative environmental technology from The NeverRest...

Costa Rica President Confronts Calls to Strip Immunity

Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves denounced today an “attempted judicial coup” as he appeared before a congressional committee that must recommend to the full...
L. Arias
L. Arias
Reporter | The Tico Times |
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica