
On December 2, 2024, UNADFI was condemned by the Marseille Magistrates’ Court, and forced to publish CAPLC’s right of reply on its website within 48 hours, subject to a penalty of 50 euros per day of delay. Convinced it could escape the law, UNADFI appealed in summary proceedings to obtain suspension of the decision. This action was curtly dismissed by the Aix-en-Provence Court of Appeal.
Catherine Katz, President of UNADFI, had argued at the Court of Appeal that the very idea of publishing a right of reply was unbearable for her, and that the Court should allow her not to apply this legal obligation. It claimed that publishing this right of reply would jeopardize its rights with “extremely serious consequences”. The Court replied: "If the publication of the right of reply on its site is unbearable for the UNADFI association in view of the fundamental opposition which opposes it to the CAP LC association on the question and conception of individual freedom and certain values, it does not have the effect of ‘jeopardizing’ the rights of UNADFI."

The Court of Apeal of Aix-en-Provence
For Thierry Valle, President of CAPLC, “UNADFI’s panic at the idea of having to publish a perfectly legal and, all things considered, moderate right of reply, is symptomatic of the fact that they think they won’t be able to pursue their mission if they are obliged to respect the law and the fundamental rights of citizens. What are they afraid of? Of the truth being exposed? Yes. And they are terrified that in the future, they may be forced to respect the law, and that their impunity will end.”
In addition, UNADFI is currently the subject of a preliminary investigation by the Parquet National Financier (National Financial Prosecutor’s Office) into suspicions of financial misappropriation linked to the distribution of subsidies by MIVILUDES in recent years. These pharaonic subsidies awarded to a number of anti-cult associations have already been referred to the Contentious Chamber by the Public Prosecutor at the National Audit Office (Cour des Comptes). According to the President of the National Audit Office (Cour des Comptes), Pierre Moscovici, the Contentious Chamber will now investigate “ and possibly judge and condemn whoever is entitled to do so”, in what he considers to be “ a serious matter ”.
To clear up any ambiguity about the content of the right of reply in question, here it is in its entirety:
“In the article ‘’Did the Senate give in to pressure” of February 12, 2024, the association CAPLC, Coordination des Associations et des Particuliers pour la Liberté de Conscience, is implicated.
Contrary to what is stated, CAPLC is not and has never been “a European non-governmental organization close to Scientology which aims to legitimize cults as mere belief groups”. CAPLC is independent and secular. It has consultative status with the UN and defends freedom of conscience in Europe and internationally. It is recognized worldwide for its expertise in its field. It has been in existence for nearly 30 years.
Information on the movements defended by CAPLC when their fundamental rights are threatened is readily available online: In the last two years alone, CAPLC has led numerous actions to defend the rights of Uighurs persecuted by the Chinese government, those of Ethiopian Orthodox communities, women’s rights in Saudi Arabia, freedom of conscience in the Russian Federation, the rights of minorities in Baluchistan, Pakistan, the rights of persecuted Ahmadiyya Muslims in Pakistan, the rights of numerous prisoners of conscience in many countries, including Ukrainians threatened with deportation to Russia for their opinions, actions against the death penalty for apostasy which still exists in 13 countries, and dozens of others. Uyghurs, women in Saudi Arabia and other minorities defended by CAPLC cannot be considered as “cults” that we would seek to legitimize. Incidentally, the term “cult” was officially abandoned by the public authorities more than twenty years ago, when the Interministerial Mission for Combating Sects (MILS) was replaced in November 2002 by the Interministerial Mission for Vigilance and Combating Cultic Deviances (MIVILUDES).
As part of its statutory mission, CAPLC informed French senators and deputies of its opinion on the draft law on cultic deviances currently debated in the parliamentar, in view of the risks this text raises for freedom of conscience and freedom of expression – a risk also identified by the State Council itself, in its documented opinion on the draft law, with regard to this freedom. CAPLC has also provided parliamentarians with objective data in its possession concerning the financing of the policy to combat cultic deviances. CAPLC has acted transparently and assertively, without exerting any “insidious pressure”.
CAPLC has nearly 30 years’ experience in the field of freedom of conscience and the threats to it. As such, CAPLC intends to share its expertise with lawmakers and take part in the democratic debate in which pluralism of opinions must be able to express itself freely without being accused or suspected of “insidious pressure”.
Source: CAP Liberté de Conscience