“Marking International Right to Know Day, the National Security Archive commended the Department of State for including access to government information as one factor evaluated in its annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. Transparency and information are essential to allow people to scrutinize and debate the actions of their government, combat corruption, and promote democracy. In its open letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the Archive also requested that the Department include access to information an independent category in the reports, to increase the prominence and recognition of this fundamental human right department-wide.” [National Security Archive]