FOICA announced for the 15th time the recipients of the “Golden Key and Rusty Lock” awards

September 28, 2017

Freedom of Information Center announced for the 15th time the recipients of the “Golden Key and Rusty Lock” awards on 28 September 2017 in Yerevan. The award ceremony was devoted to the International Right to Know Day.

Mr. Vahe Jilavyan – Deputy Chief of Government Staff welcomed the guests on this occasion stressing the importance of the initiative taken by FOICA and congratulated the award winners. U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Rafik Mansur his welcome speech congratulated all the institutions that received Golden Keys and urged everyone to be consistent and decisive in their efforts to get information.

The host of the event President of the Freedom of Information Centre of Armenia Liana Doydoyan mentioned that Freedom of Information Center of Armenia formulates and establishes the publicity and transparency traditions in the governing system of Armenia through the “Golden Key and Rusty Lock” annual award ceremony. Golden key and Rusty lock have become means to criticize publicly
closed and secret activities, meanwhile appreciating the open and transparent work.

The following people and organizations were awarded with Golden Keys as a symbol of openness and transparency:

The Positive Award for the state institution that best implemented the Armenian Freedom of Information Law was presented to Shirak Regional Administration. The Golden Key to the governor of Shirak was handed over by U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Rafik Mansur.
The best official web site in terms of access to information was recognized www.geo-fund.am the official website of “Improvement of mining sector transparency” program. The Golden Key was handed over to the Project Director Lilya Shushanyan.
Award for NGO, which has contributed to the exercising of the right of access to information, was presented to “Disabilityinfo” NGO. The Golden Key was handed over to the president of the NGO Zaruhi Batoyan by Head of the European Union Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Piotr Switalski.
Positive Award for the public figure that has implemented FOI Law actively was handed over to Anahit Bakhshyan by USAID Armenia Mission Director Deborah Grieser.
As the most consistent human rights defender for violated information was recognized Davit Asatryan, the human rights defender of “Right Dominance” NGO. The Golden Key was handed over to the human rights defender by Deputy Chief of Government Staff Vahe Jilavyan.
Award for the media for most actively using FOI Law was awarded to “Hetq” online newspaper. The Golden Key was handed over by Loreta Vioiu, Deputy Head of Council of Europe office in Armenia.
This year for the first time FOICA handed over a Special Award to the Spokesman of Ministry of Nature Protection Marine Karapetyan, as being the most responsible information provider.

Negative award – Rusty Lock for a state institution, which is the author of the most ridiculous official answer, was handed over to History Museum of Armenia.

The Award Ceremony was organized by the Freedom of information Center of Armenia NGO with the support of US Embassy in Armenia in the scope of the Program “Access to Information for Good Governance and Community Involvement”.