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Contact: Sarah E. Price, Institute on Religion and Public Policy, 202-835-8760, Price@religionandpolicy.org
WASHINGTON, May 22 /Standard Newswire/ -- Today U.S. Representative Trent Franks (R-AZ) - co-chair of the Congressional International Religious Freedom Caucus - and five other Members of Congress sent a letter to French Ambassador Pierre Vimont opposing France's anti-sect policies.
Specifically, the Members of Congress opposed the recommendations of the Inter-Ministerial Mission to Fight Against Sectarian Deviations (MIVILUDES) and its president Georges Fenech released in a December report entitled, "La justice face aux derives sectarires (Justice Facing Sectarian Abuses)."
The letter stated, "Designating specific religious beliefs and communities as sects and restricting an individual's freedom to choose and change his or her belief is inconsistent with international standards on religious freedom. Such recommendations appear to evidence a clear bias against a large number of religious communities and their adherents and impose arbitrary restrictions on an individual's human rights."
The congressional letter follows ones sent by Joseph K. Grieboski, President of the Institute on Religion and Public Policy, on December 8, 2008 to French President Nicholas Sarkozy in opposition to the recommendations; another sent on February 18, 2009 to French Prime Minister François Fillon in February opposing Fenench's desire to establish a sect list with over 600 groups on it; and a letter to Prime Minister Fillon against the MIVILUDES recommendations sent on May 20, 2009.
Representative Franks and his colleagues also pointed out that, "We recall that a parliamentary commission on cults established a similar "black list" of sects in 1995, which was officially rejected by then-Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin in a 2005 circular letter. Not only would the establishment of a new "black list" represent a major step backwards for religious freedom in France, but it would contravene fundamental human rights."
A copy of the letter sent by the Members of Congress can be found here.
About Institute on Religion and Public Policy
The Institute on Religion and Public Policy is an international, inter-religious non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring freedom of religion as the foundation for security, stability, and democracy.
The Institute works globally with government policymakers, religious leaders, business executives, academics, international and regional organizations, non-governmental organizations and others in order to develop, protect, and promote fundamental rights - especially the right of religious freedom - and contributes to the intellectual and moral foundation of the fundamental right of religious freedom. Nominated twice for the Nobel Peace Prize, the Institute encourages and assists in the effective and cooperative advancement of religious freedom.
