Roger Vleugels, born in 1956 in the Netherlands, is a Wob-expert. Since 1991 he has filed more than 2000 Wob-requests for clients. June 2005 he wrote an article in NRC Handelsblad which marked the start of Wob reform debates. Steps in this debate are a report to the parliament he wrote together with Wijnand Duyvendak and a draft for a successor of the Wob.
Roger Vleugels is lecturer on investigative journalism and Wob and legal advisor in filing requests and if neccessary also in courts for clients, most of them: journalists. Breaking news disclosures were for instance: Files of intelligence services, 400 clients, 1991-2000; data on school quality, Trouw, 1996; Dutch role in Srebrenica, NOVA, 1999; fraud with EU subsidies, NRC Handelsblad, 2001; Government transition docs, Radio 1 Journal, 2002; Docs on expelled pupils, RTL Nieuws, 2004; Journalists having sidelines, KRO Reporter, 2005; EU Farm Subsidies, EVS [linked to PvdA; labour party], 2005; Contract about voting Computers, a foundation, 2006.
He is editor and publisher of Fringe Intelligence & Fringe Spitting, two specialist journals on intelligence, freedom of information and more.
(*) Wobbing = (verb, Dutch journalist slang) getting documents through Freedom of Information legislation.
Etymology: Wet Openbaarheid van Bestuur, abbreviation WOB
Links:
Gemeenten willen geld voor wob-inzage
‘Journalisten hebben juist veel te verbergen’
Workshop Wet Openbaarheid van Bestuur
Bio op Wobsite.be
Te gast bij Pauw en Witteman
