US Commission on International Religious Freedom - Religious Freedom Concerns in the European Union

[Parale]

Back in December 2022 it was announced by Bro Anthony Morris that the Governing Body had recently established the Freedom of Worship Office at the Central Europe branch.

 

Governing Body Update 2022 - #8 - 2 December 2022
Anthony Morris: "We have another exciting update regarding freedom of worship. As Jesus foretold at Matthew 10:22, we face much opposition. Jesus said: “And you will be hated by all people on account of my name.” To assist Jehovah’s people, we have recently established the Freedom of Worship Office at the Central Europe branch. This headquarters department will coordinate our efforts to defend our worship in Europe. Now, you might be wondering: ‘The work has been established throughout Europe for many years, so is this really needed?’ Yes, it is."

https://www.jw.org/en/news/region/global/2022-Governing-Body-Update-8/

 

Thus it is interestng to note the US Commission on International Religious Freedom recent comments in July 2023 regarding Religious Freedom Concerns in the European Union:

US Commission on International Religious Freedom
Religious Freedom Concerns in the European Union

The European Union (EU) and many of its member states are active in the promotion of religious freedom abroad, yet some EU countries have maintained or implemented laws and policies that restrict the rights of religious minority groups or impact them in a discriminatory manner.

 

Restrictions on religious head coverings, like the Islamic hijab, the Jewish yarmulke, and the Sikh turban, exist widely throughout the EU. Member states with national and/ or local restrictions include Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and Spain, with recent developments in France, the Netherlands, and Belgium.

 

Currently, nine EU member states place some level of restrictions on religious slaughter practices, ranging from a full ban to a requirement for stunning or sedation.

 

Several governments in the EU have supported or facilitated the propagation of harmful information about certain religious groups... An official body under the French Ministry of the Interior and a member association of FECRIS — the Inter-Ministerial Mission in the Vigilance and Combat against Sectarian Derivatives (MIVILUDES) — releases an annual report that regularly disparages groups including Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Church of Scientology. The organization has partnered with government agencies, religious organizations, and civil society to inform them about so-called “cults” and has generated largely positive reactions from French media outlets, which has in turn negatively impacted societal respect for those associated with religious organizations that MIVILUDES labels as sects or cults. MIVILUDES has also funded various NGOs that target religious organizations considered harmful “sects,” including the National Union of Associations in Defense of Families and Individual Victims of Sects (UNADFI) and the Centre Against Mental Manipulation (CCMM).

In some regions of Germany, potential employees or the recipients of government grants must sign statements commonly referred to as “sect filters” to prove they have no connection to the Church of Scientology.

 

Blasphemy remains a criminal offense in several European countries. While some countries have recently repealed blasphemy legislation, such as Greece in 2019, other countries have rejected such calls or moved to strengthen their provisions against blasphemy. Poland has increasingly enforced its blasphemy law in recent years.

 

While hate speech merits condemnation, hate speech legislation is often too broad, criminalizing speech that does not amount to incitement to violence and thereby encompassing expression protected under international human rights standards, including the rights to freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression. Many EU member states maintain legislation that penalizes hate speech, typically subject to fines or imprisonment, including France, Germany, Poland, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Latvia, and Bulgaria. From a religious freedom perspective, overbroad hate speech laws are particularly concerning when used against individuals for peacefully sharing religious beliefs that others find offensive or controversial.

 

https://www.uscirf.gov/publications/religious-freedom-concerns-european-union

 

[Eejay]

4 hours ago, Parale said:

From a religious freedom perspective, overbroad hate speech laws are particularly concerning

As they are also when they demonstrate laxity toward the toleration of potential hate-inducing lies about Jehovahs Witnesses:

https://bitterwinter.org/a-press-conference-of-hate-false-accusations-of-sexual-abuse-against-the-jehovahs-witnesses/

Edited July 25, 2023 by Eejay

[Parale]

3 minutes ago, Eejay said:

As they are also when they demonstrate laxity toward the toleration of potential hate-inducing lies about Jehovahs Witnesses:

 

I believe that would come under the heading of 'slander/defamation' rather than 'hate-speech' per se?, the emphasis being 'lies'.

[Eejay]

2 hours ago, Parale said:

I believe that would come under the heading of 'slander/defamation' rather than 'hate-speech' per se?, the emphasis being 'lies'.

 

Agreed, but the concept of "hate-inducing" needs recognition regardless of other definitions (headings) that may be justifiably applied, (hate-speech may well be also slanderous/defamatory). Whilst "overbroad" hate-speech laws are indeed a cause for concern in view of arbitrary application, "underbroad (or, more elegantly, "under-inclusive")  hate-speech laws are equally so in view of arbitrary neglect.

Edited July 25, 2023 by Eejay