The article also stipulates that everyone has the right to withhold educational, medical or employment records as well as bank account information and personal employment details, unless they have the consent of the concerned person. They can also withhold information on citizens’ safety and health or information that would threaten citizens’ lives and information that, if disclosed to the media, would be leaked to websites which, even if protected, could be hacked.
This is the first time that the ruling and opposition blocs in parliament of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq have reached a consensual formula on this law. It is considered a disputed and controversial issue in the media, as it will help promote transparency in government institutions and eliminate administrative and financial corruption by providing journalists, media, researchers and civil society organizations with information.
Speaking to Al-Monitor, Adnan Osman, a member of the opposition Movement for Change, said, “There was an intention to reduce and merge these exceptions without explaining them. The main point is that there are exceptions in all universal laws, because some of them are related to the people's rights and individual rights, and others are related to human rights, institutions of a confidential nature or intellectual property rights.”
He confirmed, “The final version was adequate, and complied to a certain extent with international standards. There was also a consensus on many articles and clauses.”
Yet, he did not hide his fears that the law would be exploited, and some would use these exceptions to hide information from citizens and the media. He continued, “The issues regarding contracts, the purchase of weapons and public money must be under surveillance. Moreover, the people, individuals and organizations have the right to obtain information on the financial and legal aspects of these institutions.”
The three Iraqi Kurdish opposition forces had won 35 out of 111 seats in the 2009 parliamentary elections in Kurdistan. The seats were distributed as follows: the Movement for Change won 25 seats, the Islamic Group won four seats and the Kurdistan Islamic Union won six. The Kurdish bloc — which includes the ruling KDP, led by Kurdistan Region of Iraq President Massoud Barzani, and the PUK, led by Iraqi President Jalal Talabani — won 59 seats.
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