I apologize for not responding sooner, and I hope this will still be useful. In the US, there is an executive order issued by the president that governs national security classification. The EO sets forth the specific categories that qualify for national security classification and the rules that apply (duration of classification, etc.) http://www.archives.gov/isoo/policy-documents/eo-12958-amendment.html
There also is an implementing directive issued by an office called the Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO). http://www.archives.gov/isoo/policy-documents/eo-12958-implementing-directive.html ISOO also issues guidance on how to mark documents and can address disputes about classification. http://www.archives.gov/isoo/notices/ There is a lot of information on it at their website: http://www.archives.gov/isoo In addition to these broad framework materials, each agency -- and often individual components within agencies -- issue classification guides. There are, reportedly, hundreds of such guides. These guides apply the EO to the agencies' own types of holdings. For example, the guide might say that a certain program or codeword or technology is protected and describe how it is protected. We have asked for such guides under FOIA and have been provided with a few. Others have been denied because the guide itself contains classified information. Please let me know if you are looking for additional or different information. Meredith Fuchs General Counsel, National Security Archive George Washington University Gelman Library Suite 701 2130 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20037 202-994-7000 / 202-994-7059 (direct) mfuchs at gwu.edu Visit our website at: http://www.NSArchive.org Find us on Facebook: http://bit.ly/FBArchive Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/NSArchive ----- Original Message ----- From: Venkatesh Nayak <[email protected]> Date: Wednesday, December 9, 2009 1:51 am Subject: [foianet] request for information on guidelines for classifying and maintaining classified documents To: foianet at foiadvocates.info > Dear friends, > I am litigating before India's Central Information Commission for the > disclosure of the Manual of Departmental Security Instructions which > contains the criteria and process for classifying documents 'secret', > 'top > secret', 'confidential' and 'restricted'. This manual is commonly used > across the federal and provincial governments since 1965. But the manual > istelf is a confidential document and is not accessible in the public > domain > despite a requirement of proactive disclosure of all manuals and > instructions used by a public authority. I have argued that rules, > procedures and executive instructions cannot be kept secret. The public > authority in charge of issuing such instructions is arguing that disclosure > will amount to revealing 'strategy' of the government to keep things secret > in the public interest. I have argued that rules and instructions ordinarily > do not constitute 'strategy' as they are commonly used across departments. > Strategy is unique to tackling a specific case or problem. The public > authority is also agruing that nowehere in the world are such instructions > made public. I do not think that is true. > I have the theoretical arguments in support of disclosure but I also > need to > a few examples of international practice. I would be grateful if you could > send me the links to the English version of rules and procedures that > govern > classification of documents in your countries. Please treat this as an > urgent request as I have only 6 days to file my rejoinder. > regards > Venkatesh > > > > >
