by CAP Liberté de Conscience | Oct 3, 2014 | CAP LC Europe, OSCE
For years, France has had a policy of stigmatization and negative stereotyping of minorities of religion or belief it has labeled as “sects” or, more recently as “sectarian movements”. This derogatory classification corresponds to the improper assessment of religion or beliefs and the consideration that some of them, new or minority ones not belonging to traditional Churches or Institutions are “deviant”, can only stem from a “psychological hold” on the followers and constitute “sectarian abuses”.
by CAP Liberté de Conscience | May 13, 2014 | news
Are the media campaign and the legislative initiatives targeting some religious movements the product of an accurate and scientific analysis? Or, instead, are there special interests taking undue advantage from State structures for questionable purposes? And the State lends itself and contributes to amplify this alarm with questionable, to say the least, initiatives.
by CAP Liberté de Conscience | Mar 24, 2014 | CAP LC Europe, Council of Europe
Before the 2013 study, the most recent comprehensive one conducted in The Netherlands dates back to the early 1980s. It was organized in the wake of the Jonestown Massacre in Guyana (1978), after intense lobbying of Anti-Religious Groups and a very active anti-sect group S.O.S., (a Dutch abbreviation for “Cooperating Parents of Sect Members”) worried about the growing “threat” from New Religious Movements, pejoratively denounced as “sects”
by CAP Liberté de Conscience | Mar 19, 2014 | news
European Parliament Working Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief (EPWG on FoRB) co-Presidents Peter van Dalen and Dennis de Jong issued the following statement today:
by CAP Liberté de Conscience | Mar 8, 2014 | news
Soteria International was present at the European Ombudsman Interactive event ”Your wish list for Europe” with President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz and European Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly moderated by editor of The European Voice Tim King.