When Citizens Won a Right to Government Documents
The year each country passed its first national law giving the public a general right to see government documents. Sweden's law of 1766 is the oldest.
Sweden1766
The world's first, as part of the Freedom of the Press Act.
A country appears in the year of its first general national access law. Earlier sector laws, and countries whose laws are only regulations, are in the notes.
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These charts show a single number for each country, from our own knowledge: the year something first happened, or the time the law sets for it. Where a rule differs by region, by type of case or by group of people, the note says so. Rules are reformed from time to time, so check the current law. It is general information, not legal advice.
The same numbers, as a table
| Country | Year | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 2016 | |
| Australia | 1982 | |
| Bangladesh | 2009 | |
| Belgium | 1994 | |
| Brazil | 2011 | |
| Bulgaria | 2000 | |
| Canada | 1983 | |
| Chile | 2008 | |
| China | 2008 | By government regulations on open government information. |
| Colombia | 2014 | |
| Czechia | 1999 | |
| Denmark | 1970 | |
| Ethiopia | 2008 | |
| Finland | 1951 | |
| France | 1978 | |
| Germany | 2005 | |
| Hungary | 1992 | |
| Iceland | 1996 | |
| India | 2005 | |
| Indonesia | 2008 | |
| Ireland | 1997 | |
| Israel | 1998 | |
| Italy | 2016 | |
| Japan | 1999 | Passed in 1999 and in force from 2001. |
| Kenya | 2016 | |
| Mexico | 2002 | |
| Netherlands | 1978 | |
| New Zealand | 1982 | The Official Information Act. |
| Nigeria | 2011 | |
| Norway | 1970 | |
| Pakistan | 2002 | |
| Peru | 2002 | |
| Poland | 2001 | |
| Portugal | 1993 | |
| Russia | 2009 | |
| Slovakia | 2000 | |
| South Africa | 2000 | |
| South Korea | 1996 | |
| Spain | 2013 | |
| Sweden | 1766 | The world's first, as part of the Freedom of the Press Act. |
| Switzerland | 2004 | Passed in 2004 and in force from 2006. |
| Tanzania | 2016 | |
| Thailand | 1997 | |
| Turkey | 2003 | |
| Uganda | 2005 | |
| United Kingdom | 2000 | Passed in 2000 and fully in force from 2005. |
| United States | 1966 | The Freedom of Information Act. |
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