On 30 August 2018 Mr. Fernand de Varennes (Special Rapporteur on minority issues), Mr. Joseph Cannataci (Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy) and Mr. Ahmed Shaheed (Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief) addressed the Hungarian Government in a letter
“concerning discriminatory measures against the Church of Scientology on the basis of religious belief.”
2 In that letter there was two major situations described :
- “The denial of the permission for the Church of Scientology to maintain its headquarters and place of worship in Budapest.”
- “The criminal investigation of the Church of Scientology” including the seizure of confidential priest-penitent communications.
The letter of the three honorable Special Rapporteurs concluded: “[…] we would like to express our concern about the repeated denial and unjustified delay on the permission for the Church of Scientology to maintain its headquarters and place of worship in Budapest. We also express serious concern that the criminal investigations carried out against the Church of Scientology, which led to the seizure of several documents including of a private nature and to restrictions on places of worship, may be incompatible with international human rights standards. Such acts constitute serious impediments to religious freedom and to the fulfilment of the rights and freedoms of religious minorities as enshrined in the applicable international human rights standards that Hungary has committed to.”
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