In 2024, France passed a new anti-cult law despite strong opposition. The Senate rejected it, but the National Assembly still approved it.

This law supposedly strengthens the fight against cult deviations. It is said that during the pandemic, some cults multiplied and spread anti-vaccine ideas. The law introduces a new crime - incitement to refuse necessary medical treatment, punishable by up to a year in prison and a fine.

But what does this really mean? Someone criticizes the medical system or warns against vaccines – and now they could be imprisoned!

The French Council of State considered this a threat to freedom of speech and scientific debate. However, the government ignored their recommendations.

Anti-cult organizations can now participate in legal proceedings against groups they consider to be cults. These organizations will also assist judges and prosecutors. This sounds like a witch hunt.

Dr. Raffaella Di Marzio from Italy, a religion expert, warned France. She said that such laws threaten the fundamental rights of religious minorities. Her research found that the idea of mind manipulation lacks scientific basis. Moreover, in Italy, such a law existed under Mussolini and was repealed because it was vague and used for ideological discrimination.

But this isn’t just a problem in France. In Germany, there is the so-called "sect filter." People are asked if they are Scientologists, and if they say yes, they are denied jobs or contracts with the state. This is a clear violation of human rights and religious discrimination.

Court rulings have deemed this practice illegal, but it continues. Imagine not being hired because of your religious beliefs, despite your qualifications. This is not just discrimination; it is a path to dehumanization and ultimately new hate crimes.

We remember where dehumanization led in the past. In the mid-1930s, Germany enacted laws that discriminated against certain groups of people, banning them from working in public institutions. This was the beginning of a global tragedy.

Today, the inaction of the European Commission regarding the anti-cult law in France and the "sect filters" in Germany is alarming. Anti-cultism is spreading throughout the European Union, threatening fundamental rights and freedoms.

We must decisively oppose this. Otherwise, the significance of the European Union will fade, and its Charter of Fundamental Rights will become meaningless. Let’s not repeat the mistakes of the past!

This material was prepared by a group of independent journalists fighting for human rights.

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