About Freedom of Information

A set of provisions and procedures that regulate the exercise of the right to access public information related to the activities of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority and promote the principles of transparency and freedom in exchanging such information.

Purpose

This document serves as a guide to help individuals understand the process of requesting and accessing information from DGDA under the Freedom of Information (FOI) policy, in line within the FOI Policies and standards published by NDMO-SDAIA and DGDA’s commitment to transparency.

Key Principles of Freedom of Information

The Diriyah Gate Development Authority relies on the following principles of freedom of information:
Transparency: Individuals have the right to know information related to the authority's activities in order to promote transparency, integrity, and accountability.
Necessity and proportionality: Any restrictions on accessing or obtaining protected information received, produced, or dealt with by the authority must be clearly and explicitly justified.
Disclosure as the default for public information: Any individual has the right to access public information that is not protected, regardless of their interest in such information, without being subject to legal liability related to this right.
Equality: All requests for access to or obtaining public information must be treated equally without discrimination.

Individual rights regarding access to or acquisition of public information

• The right to access and obtain any unprotected information classified as "public" by the authority.

• The right to know the reason for denying access to or obtaining the requested information.

• The right to appeal a decision to deny a request to access or obtain the requested information.

This policy reflects DGDA’s commitment to transparency, accessibility, and the responsible management of public information. Should you have any questions or wish to make a request, please contact us through [email protected].

What Information Can Be Requested, and What Information is Excluded?

This policy applies to all requests for public information – unprotected – held by DGDA, regardless of source, format, or nature.
Certain information is excluded from this policy and cannot be accessed by individuals, including but not limited to:

• Information that, if disclosed, would harm national security, governmental policy, or the rights of the state.

• Military or security-related information.

• Documents obtained through agreements with other countries that are classified as protected.

• Information pertaining to inquiries, investigations, enforcement actions, or surveillance related to criminal activities or violations.

• Information that includes recommendations or consultations about pending legislation or government decisions.

• Commercial, financial, industrial, or economic information where disclosure could unfairly influence market behavior or result in financial harm.

• Scientific or technological research and intellectual property that, if disclosed, could infringe upon the rights of the creators or owners.

• Information related to competitive processes, such as bids or auctions, where disclosure would compromise fairness.

• Any confidential or personal data protected by law, or information requiring specific legal procedures to access.