JAPAN: Abduction and Deprivation of Freedom for the Purpose of Religious De-Conversion (2011)

JAPAN  

Japan Fails to Protect Citizens from Abductions and Confinement for Forced Religious De-Conversion  

"One Cannot State that there is Freedom of Religion in Japan"
HRWF Brussels (31.12.2011) -  Human Rights Without Frontiers International (HRWF Int'l), an independent nongovernmental organization, today released a 62-page report that documents the abduction and confinement of Japanese citizens for the purpose of religious de-conversion, and the failure of Japanese police and judicial authorities to investigate and prosecute those responsible for such cases of domestic violence.

"The failure to provide the victims of such kidnappings with equal protection under the law, and the impunity of those responsible, constitute a serious violation of the Japanese people's constitutionally guaranteed rights and the international human rights standards to which Japan is legally bound," stated Willy Fautre, Director of the Brussels-based NGO Human Rights Without Frontiers Int'l.

Fautre and Aaron Rhodes, an international human rights advocate who helped organize the report, interviewed numerous victims, who were mainly members of the Unification Church and the Jehovah's Witnesses, as well as journalists, lawyers, and experts. They also met with 10 members of the Japanese Diet to discuss the issue.

The kidnapping and often violent forced detention of Japanese who have joined these religious movements, usually by their own families along with "exit counselors," has occurred for decades but has been ignored by police and judicial authorities despite unequivocal evidence of crimes.

"It is completely unacceptable that all known complaints against parents and exit counselors have been declared ineligible," Aaron Rhodes said.

"In the face of such official negligence and impunity, one cannot state that there is freedom of religion in Japan," he said.

Japan: Abduction and Deprivation of Freedom for the Purpose of Religious De-Conversion is available on-line at http://www.hrwf.net (On the homepage in the section "Our Reports").

Link to the full report (62 pages PDF): http://www.hrwf.net/Joom/images/reports/2011/1231%20report%20final.pdf

For interviews:

Willy Fautre: +32 478 202069 - Email: w.fautre@hrwf.net
Aaron Rhodes: +49 170 323 8314 - Email: aaronarhodes@gmail.com

JAPAN: Missing Japanese Man Suspected Victim of Kidnapping and Faith-Breaking

 JAPAN: Missing Japanese Man Suspected Victim
of Kidnapping and Faith-Breaking

 http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release-service/238486

"The 32-year-old man from the Nagoya, Japan has not been seen by fellow Unification Church members since September 5. Both the church and his place of work have reported his disappearance to the police."

GREENBELT, MD, October 02, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Religious freedom activists expressed concern over a new case of a suspected kidnapping and secret confinement of a Unification Church member in Japan. The International Coalition for Religious Freedom (ICRF) announced the disappearance of the 32-year-old man from the city of Nagoya in Japan's Aichi Prefecture. Mr. "K.M." has not been seen by fellow church members since September 5. His place of work as a caregiver also reported him absent, and colleagues from the local Okazaki Unification Church, with which he is affiliated, found his residence empty.

Local church leaders plan to report Mr. "K.M." as a missing person to the police. However, Japanese police routinely reject such reports on the grounds that a church pastor is not a relative. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that in hundreds of such cases, it is the victim's relatives who kidnap and confine him, with the intent to force him or her out of the church.

The practice of kidnapping religious believers for "deprogramming" was widespread in the U.S. in the 1970s and 80s, but came to an end after courts made it clear that such actions were illegal, even when committed by family members. Scientologists, Krishna devotees, Pentecostal Christians and Unificationists were among the victims. Today, the Unification Church remains highly controversial in Japan, and the nation's traditional values hold that "family matters"--such as spousal abuse, rape, incest and forcing an adult relative to renounce his religion--should be kept private.

The issue of religious kidnapping in Japan has recently gained international attention as the result of the case of Mr. Toru Goto, who was held against his will in a secret location in Tokyo for 12 years because he refused to renounce his Unificationist faith. He sued the alleged perpetrators, who include relatives and a Christian minister, and the case is currently being tried in a Tokyo court.

Out of respect for his privacy the church is not releasing the current victim's full name, but accredited researchers may learn additional details by contacting ICRF.

The International Coalition for Religious Freedom is a non-profit, non-sectarian, educational organization dedicated to defending the religious freedom of all, regardless of creed, gender or ethnic origin.

More about religious freedom violations in Japan:
Research Documents on Faith-breaking in Japan

Website: http://www.religiousfreedom.com

Protecting Religious Freedom

Protecting religious freedom

Published: Sunday, Oct. 2, 2011 12:00 a.m. MDT

Deseret News editorial

 http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700183932/Editorial-Protecting-religious-freedom.html?pg=2

With recent reports documenting a rise in restrictions on religious beliefs and practices around the world, it seems like an especially bad time to eliminate the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom — an independent, bi-partisan body created in 1998 to advise the president and Congress. Yet that's exactly what Congress is alarmingly close to doing. A bill to reauthorize the commission is stalled in the Senate because one senator has put an anonymous hold on it that, under the Senate's rules, prevents further action. If the legislation isn't taken up, the commission will be forced to close its doors on Nov. 18.

This would be tragic.

Research indicates a strong link between a lack of religious freedom and the incubation of religious terrorism, which thrives in environments where closed religious orthodoxy dominates. However, when believers, whether of the majority or minority faith, are allowed to organize, express their views and participate politically, violence and extremism have been shown to dissipate.

More importantly, religious freedom is a fundamental human right. It is enshrined as our first freedom in the Bill of Rights and has been acknowledged as a universal human right in the U.N.'s Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international documents. Standing up for religious freedom is a moral imperative.

The world, however, is facing a humanitarian crisis as millions of people are tortured, raped, or imprisoned because of their religious beliefs. The United States cannot stand silent as Christians, Muslims, Buddhists and other adherents around the world are systematically discriminated against and even killed for their beliefs.

A strong Commission on International Religious Freedom can play a vital role in this regard. In the case of Sudan, for example, the commission recommended that then-President George W. Bush appoint a special envoy to Sudan, which he did: former Sen. John Danforth, who brokered a peace deal that ended a civil war.

The Function and Dysfunction of Religion in our Secular State

The Function and Dysfunction
of Religion in our Secular State

Statement by Prof. em. Dr. Christian Brünner

 European Leadership Conference, Geneva, UN, 24.-26.3.2011

Session 2: Interreligious cooperation and the prevention of incitement to racial, national and religious hatred
United Nations Office Geneva (25 - 26 March 2011)

__________________________________________

I.  The secular state

It is said that our European states are secular ones. In the respective discussions it is not always clear whether such a characteristic is an unspecified demand or a general description of a reality. In the following, I refer to a reality, and I describe this reality by three aspects:

1. Religion is not a private matter, when and in so far as it is not only related to the individual and her/his relations to God (or whatever other term is used for the unknown), but also demands responsibility for an appropriate societal environment corresponding to the respective religious teaching. The same also applies to those who have an agnostic or atheistic view and who postulate freedom from religion, and they also struggle for a societal content which goes along with their conviction.

2. In a democracy, believers and non-believers will use all democratic instruments to influence and to shape the societal and political opinion and decision-making processes, in order to promote and implement their religiously or non-religiously motivated concept of state and society.

3. The consequence of the two above-mentioned aspects is that religion and its negation are visible in the state and society, and that the public space is neither entirely free, nor can it be kept free of religion or its negation.

It has become apparent that secularization, or secularism, has blurred this view. The fact is that religion and a life of conformity with a religious doctrine is or has remained of significance for people.

Religious Freedom Resolution Introduced due to Recent Religious Intolerance Abroad

Religious Freedom Resolution Introduced due to Recent Religious Intolerance Abroad
http://blog.providenceforum.org/featured/religious-intolerance-abroad/

March 21, 2011 | paulchristiansen | Comments 2

In the latest push to promote international religious freedom, U.S. Congressman Trent Franks (R-AZ) and Congressman Heath Shuler (D-NC) recently introduced House Resolution 141.  The resolution would proposition the UN Human Rights Council to pass its own resolution on protecting international religious freedom as well as condemning intolerance.  Congressmen Franks and Shuler, whom co-chair the Congressional International Religious Freedom Caucus, encouraged this resolution based on recent acts of religious intolerance that have gained publicity around the globe.

A recent major setback against the fight for religious freedom occurred on March 2nd when Pakistan Minister of Minority Affairs, Shabaz Bhatti, was assassinated.  According to The Christian Post, “He was the only Christian member of the Pakistani President’s Cabinet. Bhatti, a Roman Catholic, courageously spoke out against the misuse of the country’s blasphemy laws by Islamic extremists and spoke up for religious minorities, including Christians.”

Regarded as one of Pakistan’s main proponents for religious freedom, Bhatti became a prime target of the Taliban and frequently received death threats.  For his courageous efforts, he was awarded the first religious freedom medallion in September 2009 by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.  At the presentation, Bhatti stated, “I personally stand for religious freedom, even if I will pay the price of my life.  I live for this principle and I want to die for this principle.”

Buddhists and Christians pray together for religious freedom in places where Buddha lived

Kalpit Parajuli ("AsiaNews," February 28, 2011)

http://religionandpolicy.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6771&Itemid=537

Kathmandu, Nepal – Hundreds of Buddhist religious leaders from around the world met in Nepal last Thursday and Friday. They were joined by Christian and Hindu religious leaders. The purpose of the event was to pray together for peace and greater religious freedom for minorities.

The two-day meeting began at the Buddhist temple in Bauddhanath (Kathmandu) and ended in Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautama Buddha. Organised by the Buddhist World Peace Association, the initiative will go on the road to Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, South Korea and other predominantly Buddhist nations. It will also travel to an additional 50 nations.

According to Kenseng Lama, one of the organiser of the Nepali event, the prayer meeting is meant to counter rising conflicts and the repression of religious minorities.

 

The initiative will be taken to countries where religious freedom is violated, like Myanmar. Slogans will change in such locations to avoid friction with the authorities.

“We Nepalis prayed to see the right to freedom of religion enshrined in a new constitution,” Lama said.

A number of Christian religious leaders, both Catholic and Protestant, joined Buddhist religious leaders in prayer vigils.

“We support the event,” said Binod Thapa, a Protestant leader, “because like Buddhists we want more religious freedom.”

 

“Under the new government, minority rights and the separation between state and religion are among the new founding principles of the new constitution,” he noted. Yet, Christians in Kathmandu and other Nepali cities still do not have a place to bury their dead, and are still threatened by Hindu extremists.

Nepal became a secular state in 2006 after centuries of rule by an absolute Hindu monarchy. Religious minorities, especially Christians and Muslims, have only recently gained the right to build their own places of worship and conduct religious functions in public.

HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN JAPAN

 Human Rights Violations in Japan

• SBS TV Program - Deprgramming in Japan - Click here to Watch

The deprogramming operations in the US or Europe ceased in 1980s when the deprogrammers such as Ted Patrick found themselves in jail. In Japan, 4300 Unification Church members have been victimized by this deprogramming practice since 1966. And it's ocurring in Japan even now.

Goto Takes Deprogrammers to Court

It was announced on Feb 3, 2011, that Mr. Goto filed civil suit in Tokyo District Court demanding damage compensation of 200 million Yen  (= US$2.4 Million) against a deprogrammer Takashi MIYAMURA, a Christian Minster Yasutomo MATSUNAGA and relatives.

Mr. Goto (picture–right) was confined for 12 years and 5 months (Sep.11, 1995 - Feb.10, 2008) against his will in an attempt to abandon his faith. 

 

The Tokyo Prosecutors Office failed to indict the deprogrammers in Dec 2009. Insufficient evidence was the reason.   The Tokyo No 4 Committee for the Inquest of Prosecution decided on Oct 6, 2010 that the Prosecutor’s Non-Indictment decision was appropriate. This ended the chance of criminal trial.

Mr Goto is now seeking civil trial. 

In America, civil cases had stronger impacts than criminal cases. 

In Eilers case, the grand jury dismissed all the charges brought against deprogrammers.  But in the civil case in 1984, the judge stated that “there is no question that the plaintiff was actually confined”.

 

In Scott’s criminal case (1993), the deprogrammer Rick Ross ended in acquittal.  But in the civil case (1995), Scott was awarded almost US5 million in damage compensation and punitive compensation from deprogrammer Rick Ross, his assistants and CAN, which brought CAN out of business.

Information Source:
http://kidnapping.jp/news/20110203.html

http://www.religiousfreedom.com/index.php/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=483:the-rise-and-fall-of-deprogramming-in-the-united-states&catid=47:deprogramming-issues

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Scott_case

http://mn.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.%5CFDCT%5CDMN%5C1984%5C19840306_0000010.DMN.htm/qx

FOREF-COMMENTARY: Who needs the National Sect-Office?

FOREF-COMMENTARY: Who needs the National Sect-Office? by Werner Mueller

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Vienna, 8.12.2010 – The National Office for Sectarian Issues exists in Vienna since 1998. Its central purpose is to collect, document and distribute information about so-called sects. The nature of this information is unknown. Is it publicly available information from the media, reports from so-called drop-outs or information from the so-called sects themselves? We do not know because the national office divulges no information about it and so transparency is non-existent. The taxpayers should actually expect it from a public office funded by taxes with a budget of over 400,000 Euro.
(Photo: Dr. German Müller, leader of the Federal Sect-Office)

The reference of the national office to simply collect, evaluate and distribute information about so-called sects, does not justify the expense of approximately seven employees. And anyhow, what is meant by collecting information, is the television programme perused for contents relating to the theme or daily newspapers evaluated? And if so, who receives these “threatening medial scenarios” which ultimately contribute to opinion making? The public is not permitted any insight into files relating to persons or financial issues of the National Office for Sectarian Issues.

Should we take a look at the work and results of the National Office for Sectarian Issues over the last ten years then it is sobering to establish that the “observation” of “sects” has not led to any results by this office. Where are the publications, the informational documents or the public presentations which reveal the potential risk of “sects”? And what results has the now more than ten years of observation of these groups brought? The National Office for Sectarian Issues remains silent on this issue. What we can read are individual annual reports of this office which in no way really describe the allegedly potential danger which apparently comes from “sects”.

OSCE holds high profile Meeting on Religious Freedom in Vienna

Ahead of Human Rights Day, OSCE human rights chief, UN Special Rapporteur call for removing undue restrictions on religious freedom

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http://www.osce.org/odihr/item_1_48158.html

VIENNA, 9 December 2010 - Janez Lenarcic, the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), and Heiner Bielefeldt, the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, today called on states to remove undue restrictions on the fundamental freedom of religion or belief.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow's Human Rights Day at a special OSCE meeting on the topic, Lenarcic and Bielefeldt warned that individuals and communities still face impediments in enjoying freedom of religion or belief in many countries.

Lenarcic noted that some states tend to promote tolerance and mutual understanding among major faith groups while neglecting their commitment to respect religious rights for all: "Fostering tolerance and dialogue among mainstream religions is to be encouraged, but it cannot substitute for the protection of the freedom of religion or belief of all members of society, including smaller and less popular groups."

He said there are still countries in the OSCE region where individuals and groups cannot freely study religion, assemble to worship, disseminate religious literature or establish charitable organizations.
UN Special Rapporteur Bielefeldt stressed that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, without any discrimination based on religion or belief.

"Freedom of thought, conscience and religion includes freedom to change one's religion or belief and freedom to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance," he said, and called on states "to respect freedom of religion or belief, to actively protect such freedom against undue interference, and to promote an atmosphere of tolerance".

The two-day meeting, organized together with Kazakhstan's OSCE chairmanship, coincides with Human Rights Day, which marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December 1948.

Ambassador Madina Jarbussynova, who represented the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office at the meeting, stressed that respect for freedom of religion or belief is at the core of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and OSCE human dimension commitments.

At the OSCE Summit in Astana last week, the leaders of the 56 OSCE participating States agreed on a declaration that called for greater efforts to promote freedom of religion or belief. The Astana Commemorative Declaration also reiterated that the protection and promotion of human rights is the first responsibility of government, and expressed appreciation for the important role played by civil society and free media in helping to ensure full respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law.

Release of the 2010 International Religious Freedom Report

Release of the 2010 International Religious Freedom Report

http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2010/11/151081.htm

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Washington, DC

November 17, 2010

Video: http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1705667530?bctid=678942946001

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SECRETARY CLINTON: Good afternoon. It’s my pleasure to join you today for the release of the State Department’s Annual Report on International Religious Freedom. Every year, the State Department prepares a comprehensive review of the status of religious freedom in countries and territories around the world. We do this because we believe that religious freedom is both a fundamental human right and an essential element to any stable, peaceful, thriving society.

This is not only the American view; it is the view of nations and people around the world. It is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it is protected by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and it is guaranteed by the laws and constitutions of many nations, including our own, where religious freedom is the first freedom listed in our Bill of Rights.
Because we believe in religious freedom and because we are committed to the right of all people everywhere to live according to their beliefs without government interference and with government protection, we are troubled by what we see happening in many, many places. Religious freedom is under threat from authoritarian regimes that abuse their own citizens. It is under threat from violent extremist groups that exploit and inflame sectarian tensions. It is under threat from the quiet but persistent harm caused by intolerance and mistrust which can leave minority religious groups vulnerable and marginalized.

During the past year, al-Qaida issued calls for further violence against religious minorities in the Middle East. Sufi, Shia, and Ahmadiyya holy sites in Pakistan have been attacked. So was a Syriac Catholic church in Baghdad just a few weeks ago. We received reports from China of government harassment of Tibetan Buddhists, house church Christians, and Uighur Muslims. And several European countries have placed harsh restrictions on religious expression.

Obama Skips Golden Temple Visit

Obama Skips Golden Temple Visit

President Caves in to Domestic Political Ignorance
over His Religious Identity Rather Than Standing for Religious Freedom

www.religionandpolicy.org

______________________________________________________________

Alexandria, VA (October 20, 2010) - THE INSTITUTE on Religion and Public Policy is deeply disappointed President Barack Obama has decided to opt out of an expected visit to the Sikh Golden Temple, one of India's holiest shrines, out of fear that wearing the requisite headgear might make him look like a Muslim.

"The Obama Administration has an abysmal record on international religious freedom issues. This could have been an unique and historic opportunity for the president to stand in the holiest shrine of an often-discriminated religious minority and to speak for the rights of all minorities around the globe," commented THE INSTITUTE's Founder and Chairman of the Board, Joseph K. Grieboski.

Obama was to visit the sprawling golden complex in Amritsar, "but the plan appears to have foundered on the thorny question of how Mr. Obama would cover his head, as Sikh tradition requires, while visiting the temple," wrote the New York Times.
____________________________________________________________
Watch the Video-Summary:

Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com
______________________________________________________________________________

Sikhs are often mistaken as Muslims, and since 9/11 they have been the unintentional targets of anti-Muslim violence in the United States.

"By turning down a visit to the Golden Temple, President Obama disappoints not only the global Sikh community, but also every religious minority in the world who saw his visit as a demonstrable sign of support for their rights," continued Mr. Grieboski. "Instead of standing for religious freedom and against religious intolerance, President Obama has caved in to an ignorant minority in the United States who hide behind a conspiracy theory that he is a Muslim."

________________________________________

THE INSTITUTE on Religion and Public Policy

500 N Washington Street
Alexandria, VA 22314

703.888.1700 (p)
703.888.1704 (f)

www.religionandpolicy.org

Contact:
 Sarah Channing Grieboski
Director of Communications
sarah@religionandpolicy.org

RELIGIOUS SCHOLARS URGED TO INVESTIGATE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN JAPAN

http://stopjapanabductions.org/

Speaking to the Center for Studies on New Religions (CENSUR), Dan Fefferman, President of the International Coalition for Religious Freedom, urged religious scholars from Europe and North America to conduct independent investigations into the kidnappings and forced de-conversions of Unification Church members in Japan.

CESNUR is the world’s premier gathering of scholars dedicated to the study of new religions and religious minorities. Approximately 150 scholars attended the conference, held in Turin, Italy at the University of Turin.

Fefferman reported to CESNUR attendees that 10 to 20 Unification Church members are currently victims of forced de-conversions each year in Japan. Two new victims were abducted against their will during the month of August, and several more church members remain missing.

While so-called “deprogramming” has been eliminated in the United States for nearly 20 years, there exists a well organized movement in Japan to kidnap Unification Church members and hold them against their will for months or even years at a time.

Most Japanese government officials turn a blind eye to the human rights abuses, and police refuse to investigate in part because there are not enough independent voices demanding justice.

“Scholars are not involved in Japan,” Fefferman told the CESNUR audience. “One of the reasons they are not involved is that they are taking a professional risk if they defend the Unification Church.”

Fefferman shared real life stories of deprogramming survivors who report beatings, threats with knives, humiliation and other psychological abuse, food depravation and rape. Despite the clear abuses of civil liberties, Japanese authorities refuse to intervene, calling religious affiliation a “family matter.”

In the United States, American citizens are being encouraged to sign a petition for Congress to hold hearings on Japan’s human rights violations. Specifically, the hearing would be held by the Tom Lantos Commission on Human Rights, co-chaired by Rep. James McGovern (D-MA) and Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA).

Religious symbols and reminders of religious freedom: My purchase of a menorah

I announced to my family a few weeks ago that I was going to purchase a menorah. They looked at me kind of funny, wondering why I, being a Christian, would do such a thing. But as I was reading about Hanukkah (or Chanukah), I was struck by the symbolism of the menorah and its relationship to religious freedom. Although it is not a part of my religion, it still bears some sacredness for me.

The story goes like this: In 175 BCE, Antiochus IV, the Syrian king of the Seleucid Empire, invaded Jerusalem and recaptured Jerusalem. His soldiers plundered and looted the temple, putting a stop to further temple worship. The practice of Judaism was outlawed, which prompted the successful Maccabean revolt in 165 BCE and the subsequent rededication of the temple.

According to wikipedia: "The festival of Hanukkah was instituted by Judah Maccabee and his brothers to celebrate this event. After recovering Jerusalem and the Temple, Judah ordered the Temple to be cleansed, a new altar to be built in place of the polluted one and new holy vessels to be made. According to the Talmud, olive oil was needed for the menorah in the Temple, which was required to burn throughout the night every night. But there was only enough oil to burn for one day, yet miraculously, it burned for eight days, the time needed to prepare a fresh supply of oil for the menorah. An eight day festival was declared by the Jewish sages to commemorate this miracle."

The martyrdom of Hannah and her seven sons is also linked to Hanukkah. Antiochus, in his demonstration of control over the Jews and their religious practices, had required her sons to eat pig or to be put to death. Each son, in turn, refused, and was, as promised, killed. Prior to the youngest son's death, Antiochus had appealed to Hannah to convince her youngest to eat pig rather than to die. But Hannah was not swayed and the son refused, and that son, as well, was put to death. Ultimately Hannah, too, suffered death in connection with these events. Her and her sons' courage and strength are commemorated to this day.

I wanted to purchase the menorah so that I would have this symbol as a reminder of these important events and of the strength and courage of these Jews nearly 2200 years ago and so that I could teach my children about these things. The principles that the menorah represent are universal and bear meaning to this non-Jew. And so today I finally received my "traditional pewter menorah" in the mail, having ordered it from Judaica.com, and was pleased to bring this symbol into my home.

By the way, I decided not to purchase the "Multi-color Puzzle Menorah," the "Inflatable Festival Menorah Decoration," the "Clef Note Menorah," the "Woven Garden Wall Menorah," or the "Giant Lawn Decoration Inflatable Menorah." The "traditional pewter menorah" works just fine for me.

This article was posted by James Blood on the International Religious Freedom Blog.

France retreating on burqa ban

France retreating on burqa ban - Europe - World - The Times of India
PARIS: France is moving towards outlawing full Islamic veils in certain public buildings, stopping short of a broader ban that could violate the right to religious freedom, Le Figaro newspaper reported on Wednesday.

“Permanently masking one's face in public spaces is not an expression of individual liberty,” Jean-Francois Cope, the parliamentary party leader of Sarkozy's UMP party, said in an opinion piece in newspaper Le Figaro. “It's a negation of oneself, a negation of others, a negation of social life,” he said, but conceded that a complete ban faced certain legal obstacles.

Le Figaro quoted advisers as saying such a ban could be challenged before the European Court of Human Rights on the grounds that it hurt religious freedom.

Instead, the government will seek to banish the garments from public buildings such as town halls and police headquarters, where it can cite security concerns, it said. Universities, streets and public transport would not be touched by the ban.

Annual OSCE human rights conference opens with calls for improved implementation of international standards

Press release - OSCE:
"Everyone who experienced the tragedy of living through wars or totalitarian regimes knows about the value of the respect for fundamental human rights and dignity," Wladyslaw Bartoszewski, former Polish foreign minister, said at the opening.

"There is probably no generally valid recipe for preventing once and for all the return of the traumatic and incomprehensible breakdowns of civilization we have experienced in Europe and elsewhere in the world. But I place my hopes in the solid anchoring of values such as tolerance, openness and justice in society, as well as education."

Ambassador Janez Lenarcic, director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), said that there are various ways to implement the OSCE's human rights and democracy commitments, and states by necessity develop at different paces.

But he dismissed claims referring to country specificities as an excuse for lack of implementation:

"I believe this argument can be answered easily: no one naturally, or because of cultural specificities, enjoys being deprived of the rights and freedoms whose promise is enshrined in the OSCE commitments."

Some 1,000 government representatives, experts and human rights defenders are attending the two-week meeting, which reviews the progress states have made in putting their international commitments into practice.

"The meeting provides a unique opportunity to share experiences, identify shortcomings and support progress in light of our human dimension commitments," said Ambassador Nicolaos Kalantzianos, the representative of the Greek OSCE chairmanship and head of the OSCE task force in the Greek foreign ministry.

In addition to regular working sessions, more than 50 side events will focus on specific human rights concerns and country situations.

For PDF attachments or links to sources of further information, please visit: http://www.osce.org/item/39771.html

Protest at the OSCE Conference in Warsaw
this Monday morning during the speech of the Kazakh government delegate: Human Rights activists showed their "Free Evgeny Zhovits" & "Fair trial for Zhovits" T-shirts

Photos by Peter ZOEHRER