Activities

MEETING

Laicity and Freedom of Belief in Italy: Reports, Suggestions, Evidence

Presentation of FOB (European Federation for Freedom of Belief)

Rome, Monday 21^th december 2015, 10am
Palazzo Montecitorio. Sala del Mappamondo
Piazza di Montecitorio, 00186 Roma

Aims of the meeting

The European Federation for Freedom of Belief (FOB) supports Lord David Alton’s request addressed to UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees - to review the guidelines about the Pakistani refugees matter.
According to Lord Alton, the UNHCR is denying the existence of an ongoing persecution against Pakistani Christians, reducing such dramatic situation to a case of simple discrimination.

In this section you can find documents and videos about the activities of the European Federation for Freedom of Belief (FOB) and the NGOs CAP, Soteria International and AIDLR, concerning freedom of religion and belief and human rights issues, at the Europe’s largest annual human rights conference. It was organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), in Warsaw, from 21 September to 2 October 2015.

“The Italian government shall clarify about the anti-mosque legislation passed by Lombardy and about the Anti Cult Squad of the State Police”, Alessandro Amicarelli, spokesman of FOB (European Federation for Freedom of Belief), has addressed with his statement the plenary assembly of OSCE/ODIHR at Warsaw (see the video).

TOKYO, 01.10.2015 (FOREF) – Japan’s Supreme Court has handed Touru Goto final victory in his civil case stemming from his 12 year and 7 month confinement by faith breakers. Japan’s Supreme Court on September 29 dismissed appeals by the defendants in the case and let stand a previous verdict by Tokyo High Court. This ended Mr. Goto’s 7-year legal battle to receive justice. Mr. Goto released the following statement.

OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
Human Dimension Implementation Meeting 2015

Working session 15: Fundamental freedoms II
Freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief

STATEMENT OF THE EUROPEAN FEDERATION FOR FREEDOM OF BELIEF (FOB)
about freedom of belief in Italy

Wednesday, 30 September 2015

6 September 2015 — Many NGOs and leaders, including the European Federation for Freedom of Belief (FOB), signed a letter sent to the Members of the Constituent Assembly of Nepal in order to draw their attention to the issue of religious freedom in Nepal, and to ask that they review and consider revising the language in an alarming section of the most recent draft of their new constitution.

Here is the letter and the signatories:

To the Members of the Constituent Assembly of Nepal,

On 12th June 2015, the Steering Committee of FOB sent a letter in support of the LAYMS’s campaign in favor of the Natha Yoga School.

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.

On March 30, Soteria International, NGO member of FOB, attended an important event hosted by the European Parliament, a public hearing on fundamental rights in the European Union. Speakers looked into the Human Rights inside European Union in order to make steps in admitting that problems exist and to start truly respecting the Human Rights.

FOB (European Federation for Freedom of Belief), supports the Japanese Victims Association against Religious Kidnapping and Forced Conversion’s Petition for the rescue of Masato Ishibashi (26), a member of the Unification Church, who has been missing since January, 2014, while he was visiting his parents' home in Chiba Prefecture.

In few days more than 3000 people signed the petition.

The answer from the French Government to the letter promoted by the International Religious Freedom Roundtable (IRF), and subscribed by various NGOs, amongst which the European Federation for Freedom of Belief (FOB), and private citizens and sent on the 30th November 2014, was not long-awaited.

On the 11^th of February 2015, the proceedings against the MISA Yoga group in Romania has been concluded with full acquittal of the 21 defendants by the Court.

"A liberty-destroying law forbidding to thousands of Lombard citizens – Muslims and non Muslims alike – the right to pray”. This is how the Steering Committee of FOB (European Federation for Freedom of Belief) voices its strong disagreement about the “anti-mosques law”, currently at the center of controversies in Lombardy.

The 26^th of January 2015 in Rome (Italy) at str. Viale Angelico 38, the association named European Federation for Freedom of Belief (FOB), has been officially incorporated by law.

Founders are: Prof. Pietro Nocita (Chairman), Attny. Fabrizio D’Agostini (Councillor), Dr. Raffaella Di Marzio (Secretary), Camillo Maffia (Councillor). Vice-chair is Attny. Alessandro Amicarelli. Other member of the Steering Committee is Prof. Sonia Bartol.

Dear Director,

As a stakeholder NGO, European Federation for Freedom of Belief (FoB) is registered since December 8, 2014 on the Official Register of Lobbies before the EU Parliament and Commission in Bruxelles and Strasbourg. The registration was updated and confirmed on November 27, 2015

Its Transparency Register ID number is 015146319708-20.

On 4th December 2014, NGOs and leaders, including the European Federation for Freedom of Belief (FOB), signed a letter sent to Donald Tusk, President of the European Council and all members of this institution, urging them to take effective action to protect religious minorities facing ISIS.

Here is the letter and the signatories:

To Mr Donald Tusk 
President of the European Council

To All members of the European Council

General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union
Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 175 B-1048 Brussels Belgium

Dear Mr President,