On the occasion of the International Day for Access to Information
AMAN calls for the enactment of the law as a national necessity to strengthen the resilience of Palestinian society and its trust in its institutions
Ramallah – September 28, 2025
The International Day for Access to Information comes at a time when the Palestinian people are experiencing one of the most dangerous chapters in their history, facing systematic genocide and daily crimes committed by the occupation against civilians. These attacks undermine every aspect of life, disrupt essential public services, and weaken trust in public institutions and policies. In this context, access to accurate and reliable information from official sources is not only a fundamental right but also a national and existential necessity. The absence, delay, or distortion of such information directly erodes community resilience and public trust; two essential pillars for preserving the social fabric and maintaining internal security during this critical phase.
On this occasion, the Coalition for Integrity and Accountability (AMAN) once again calls on the Palestinian government to urgently enact the Right to Access Information Law. This law is the foundation of transparency, good governance, and reform, and serves as a vital safeguard in preventing corruption. AMAN reminds all stakeholders that drafts of this law have been proposed for over two decades, with the most recent version in 2018 receiving broad societal consensus. Continued procrastination in its approval is unjustifiable and undermines both public trust and the people’s right to accountability and truth.
AMAN stresses the constitutional principle that access to information must be the rule, while restriction remains the exception, subject only to specific legal provisions. The government is therefore obliged to proactively publish its decisions, policies, and public data, establish a clear classification system that narrowly defines exceptions, and build a comprehensive national electronic archive in line with the Cabinet’s decision to establish the National Archive Center.
The absence of a Right to Access Information Law does not only hinder the work of journalists, citizens, and civil society institutions; it also entrenches a culture of concealment among various authorities, weakens mechanisms of constructive criticism and accountability, and restricts meaningful political participation. Access to information is not merely a democratic demand; it is an international obligation under the United Nations Convention against Corruption, which Palestine ratified in 2014. It is also a fundamental requirement for ensuring transparency in public administration, budgets, and expenditures, as well as for protecting whistleblowers from retaliation.
AMAN further warns that the continued enforcement of Cybercrime Law No. 10 of 2018 and its amendments, containing vague provisions and expanding the powers of security agencies, constitutes a grave threat to freedom of opinion and expression and undermines the right to access information. These provisions contradict both the Palestinian Basic Law and the international agreements to which the State of Palestine is committed.
Accordingly, AMAN demands the following:
AMAN affirms that enacting the Right to Access Information Law is no longer a legislative luxury or a matter that can be deferred. It is an urgent national necessity to strengthen integrity, combat corruption, protect the resilience of Palestinian society, and rebuild trust between citizens and their state and institutions.
