Freedom of Information and Expression | Open Society Institute

The Price of Silence: The Growing Threat of Soft Censorship in Latin America
August 2008
This report, coproduced by the Open Society Justice Initiative, examines a growing trend in Latin America: behind-the-scenes government interference with media freedom and editorial independence.

About Freedom of Information & Expression
The Open Society Justice Initiative is working to address legacies of secrecy and repression around the world by supporting freedom of information laws and combating government interference with media freedom.

Soft Censorship in Latin America
The Open Society Justice Initiative is pushing legal reforms throughout the region that would end the practice of governments buying favorable coverage.

Extraordinary Rendition
The Open Society Justice Initiative is using freedom of information laws to investigate the involvement of European governments in the United States� extraordinary rendition program.

El-Masri v. Macedonia
In 2003, Macedonian authorities seized a German citizen and held him incommunicado for 23 days before handing him over to the CIA. This case challenges Macedonia's involvement in the extraordinary rendition and torture Khaled El-Masri.

MGN Ltd v. United Kingdom
This case before the European Court of Human Rights involves the massive costs of libel suits, which have a chilling effect on NGOs and small publishers by discouraging them from publishing important stories.

Transparency and Silence: A Survey of Access to Information Laws and Practices in 14 Countries
September 2006
This Open Society Justice Initiative study on access to information finds that transitional democracies outperformed established ones in providing information about government activities.

Buying the News: A Report on Financial and Indirect Censorship in Argentina
December 2005
This report from the Open Society Justice Initiative exposes the many subtle yet powerful ways in which government officials wield influence over Argentina's media.