Declaration, Classification, and Declassification of Administrative Documents in Light of Right of Access to Information in Iran and the U, S, Legal Systems

Abstract

Citizens' right of access to information as well as the regulation of the system of classification of administrative documents are two important issues in examining the function of a state. In principle, everyone has right to access all information, and regulating a system of classification of documents to restrict access to information is an exception, and it could be possible where there is a higher interest than that of right of access to information. The way of limiting the right of free access and determining the instances of confidentiality is the main issue of the confidentiality system governing the administrative documents, and it raises the question that who is the authority to determine the confidentiality of administrative documents and its classification system? Also, how is it possible to declassify the documents? Using a comparative approach, this article endeavors to study the similarities and differences of the classification systems of Iran and the U, S, and while reviewing the system of declaring the classification of administrative documents in the United States, investigates the system of classification and declassification of documents in Iranian laws.

Keywords

• classification
• declassification
• the right of access to information
• classification system
• the comparative study