The Freedom of Information Center’s annual “Golden Key and Rusty Lock” award ceremony took place on September 28, 2011 – the International Right to Know Day – which wrapped up the Freedom of Information Week launched on September 21. This year, the ceremony was dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the FOICA.

On September 28, 2011, the independent jury awarded the following institutions Golden Keys, as a symbol of openness and transparency:

• Positive Award for the institution/agency that was best applied the Armenian FOI Law was presented to the Ministry of Education and Science.
• The Ministry of Justice official website www.moj.am was recognized as the best official web site in terms of access to information.
• Positive award for the best official initiative ensuring freedom of information was presented to Kotayq Regional Administration.
• Positive Award for a NGO that best utilized the right for access to information was presented to the “Victims of the State Needs” NGO.
• Positive Award for the journalist/author of the best FOI related article was awarded to Mr. Arman Gharibyan from “Lragir” on-line newspaper.
• Positive Award for the media outlet most actively covering FOI issues was presented to the news agency www.PanArmenian.net.
• Positive Award for the media outlet most actively covering FOI issues was presented to the on-line project www.hra.am.

Rusty lock awards, as a symbol of secrecy, were presented to the RA State Revenue Committee and the “Hamalsaranakanner” Condominium for the most unrealistic official answers.

On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the FOICA, 10 special awards were given to those organizations, which have contributed significantly to the development of freedom of information in Armenia.

“The FOI Annual Award Ceremony increases the public’s oversight of state institutions. It makes them work more openly and be more accountable to the public. For many institutions this is a good chance to develop their work, review their shortcomings and correct them,” said FOICA president Shushan Doydoyan. “At the same time this event promotes and encourages citizens, journalists and NGOs to become advocates for the right to be informed and exercise their legal rights under the Law on Freedom of Information,” she noted.

The winners of positive and negative awards were decided by the independent jury represented by 9 organizations in the FOI sphere.

The selection criteria for the most open and secret agencies can be found at https://foi.am/en/freedom-of-information/foi-black-list

The Award Ceremony was organized by the Freedom of information Center of Armenia through USAID support.