The French Senate has postponed final approval of a widely criticized “anti-sect bill” until March, citing a crowded legislative agenda.  The bill, which was passed by the National Assembly in June last year, is aimed at dangerous sects and cults, but has attracted criticism for being too broad and ill-defined. If passed, the law would create the crime of “mental manipulation,” imposing sentences of up to five years imprisonment for causing a physical or psychological “state of subjection.”

While the legislation does not define a “sect,” a list of 173 sects has been compiled, which includes a Free Baptist Church, Scientologists, Unificationists, and Jehovah’s Witnesses.

John Graz, public affairs and religious liberty director for the Seventh-day Adventist Church worldwide, says that the Adventist Church is not on the list of sects, but that, on principle, it opposes any legislation that will foster misunderstanding and discrimination against religious minorities. 

“Existing criminal statutes are sufficient to deal with the type of abuses targeted by this proposed law,” he says.  “In its current form, this legislation will do more to fan the flames of religious discrimination than to protect citizens from dangerous cults.”  Graz adds that the anti-sect law does not reflect France’s tradition of religious tolerance.

“The traditional image of France as a country of human rights has been damaged by this anti- religious minority policy,” he says.  “A democracy is not supposed to create special laws for a category of citizens. The protection of minorities is one of the basic principles of every democracy and, according to the International Bill of Rights, religious liberty is a fundamental freedom.”

A broad range of religious leaders in France have already expressed grave concern about the anti-sect law, saying that the broad scope of the law exposes even well-known religious organizations to discrimination on the basis of faith, reports Christian Solidarity Worldwide, an international human rights group. An investigation into the issue of religious discrimination in France has been initiated by the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly.