The "anti-mosque act" violates EU's rules. That's what emerges from a report by FOB (European Federation for Freedom of Belief), sent to the Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights, the proper committees, coordinators and bureaus at the European Parliament and the OSCE/ODIHR, with the support of IRF Roundtable. FOB is a Federation of Associations - including Soteria International, European Coordination for Freedom of Conscience, LAYMS and AIDRL -, independent from any party, that advocates freedom of thought, religion and belief.
FOB (European Federation for Freedom of Belief) expresses deep concern about the Italian Lombardy law on worship places aka “anti-mosque act”. The close examination elaborated by the vice-chairman, Dr. Alessandro Amicarelli, on behalf of FOB shows the picture of a regulation which, besides being conflicting with the Italian Constitution, violates also the principles of the European Convention on Human Rights and those included in the Guidelines of the FORB programme issued by the Council of the EU, and that Italy is indeed called to respect. FOB also remarks that what has been underlined by the European Court of Human Rights on the occasion of several cases of disputes on the same subject is completely disregarded by the Lombardy law, opening further the possibility, in presence of all the prescribed requirements, of filing a complaint before the European Court in Strasbourg against the content of this piece of legislation.
The said legislation "Legge regionale n. 62/2015 in materia di costruzione di luoghi di culto" seriously discriminates all religious minorities, and intensifies their condition of disparity comparing to the Catholic Church: FOB hopes it will be withdrawn as soon as possible, in Lombardy as well as in Veneto where, in the weeks following to the approval of the Lombardy law, a similar bill has been introduced. FOB eventually reasserts the necessity to allow all Italians and all the people on the territory to enjoy same rights to freedom of religion and belief without discriminations that go even further their populistic origins and in fact the content of the law now affects all minority denominations, regardless they obtained or not an agreement with the Italian government.
Board of Directors FOB (Freedom of Belief )
European Federation for Freedom Of Belief
Rome 11 May, 2015
