The Principles and Limitations of Freedom of Information and the Holy Qur ān

The right to have access to information and free circulation of news as one of the fundamental citizen rights is accepted in the present world. People’s access to information is among the rights whose provision is the government’s duty and to its benefit, as well. Today, making possible the legal access to formal information concerning the activities of the government officials and institutions is a basic part of the governances’ duties towards people and is a symbol of participation and democracy. Besides delving into the history and concepts of freedom and information, the present research tries to examine the principles, necessities, and the right to access information in the noble verses of the Holy Qur‘ān and analyze its limitation from the viewpoint of the Revealed Book. The present study indicates that many of the principles of freedom are referred to and emphasized in the Holy Qur’ān. Thus, in order to actualize the freedom of information, certain notions such as an accurate definition of the domain and exceptions of freedom of information, facilitating the access to information, protection of the whistleblowers, active and well-timed dissemination of information, and correction of the laws inconsistent with dissemination of information can be emphasized.