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FRANCE: VOTE AGAINTS Christian Solidarity Worldwide news report February 2001 The French Senate vote on a controversial anti-sect bill has been postponed due to more pressing matters before the Senate. Although the bill will still be put to a vote, there is likely to be a delay of about six weeks resulting in a decision sometime in March. The bill, sponsored by Senators About and Picard, aims to stamp out dangerous sects, or cults, in France but has been criticised by human rights and mainstream religious groups for numerous reasons. Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), a Christian human rights group, has expressed concern that the law is extremely vague and worded in such a way that it will allow "anyone with an interest" to begin potentially costly and damaging legal proceedings against legitimate religious organisations. Among other restrictions the bill, which never actually defines the term "sect", would impose a sentence of up to five years detention and a fine of up to five million francs for causing a "state of subjection" either physical or psychological, through the "exercise of serious and repeated pressures or techniques aimed at altering the capacity of judgement." Representatives of a wide assortment of religious groups in France have expressed concern that if this bill is passed it will encourage and even enable discrimination on the basis of religious faith. Their fears are well-founded, as after the Inter-ministerial Mission for the Battle Against Sects published a list of 173 identifiable "sects" (including such mainstream Christian groups as a Free Baptist Church), members of the listed groups reported increased discrimination and harassment. In addition, the bill includes a provision which will broaden the term "corporate entity" to include entities that are legally distinct but "who through their name or their statutes pursue the same purpose and are united by common interests." This would in effect give judges the right to dissolve an entire organisation based on a case brought against a separate group which was deemed to have "common interests." The inherent subjectivity and sweeping effects of such a law would pose a severe threat to all legitimate religious organisation operating in France. The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly has begun an investigation on the issue of religious discrimination in France under the oversight of Turkish MP, Mr. Akcali, a member of the Legal Affairs Committee of the Council of Europe. Whilst CSW commends this action by the Council of Europe, CSWs Anna Lee Stangl, states "It is essential that the French Senate remembers not only their human rights obligations under international law but also the precedent they will set as a founding member of the European Union for states in Eastern Europe, working toward accession to the EU, who are formulating legislation which regulates religious groups." For more information and campaign details - please contact Anna Lee Stangl at CSW telephone/fax 0032 (0)2 742 2082 and/or e-mail: csw-eu@village.uunet.be |