French Evangelicals express concern about the "anti-separatism" law

According to the French Evangelicals, the law is initially designed to fight radical Islamism but also restricts Christians in their freedom of worship. Therefore, in the report, the CNEF proposes some questions regarding the respect for freedom of religion that the UN Committee could ask at their 132nd session of the Committee in June and July 2021. That reports the news website Evangelical Focus.

According to the CNEF, the latest legislation "imposes new obligations to declare to the prefecture many aspects of the life of religious groups", placing the representative of the state as "the actor of a surveillance of their activities". In addition to that, "criminal sanctions are strengthened in the context of religious policing". The CNEF says that these lines change the balance of the separation between faith groups and the state.

CNEF adds to that by saying that the draft law "contains provisions restricting the freedom to manifest one's religion in the public space".

Freedom

The Council concludes by saying that this new legislation "could restrict the freedom of expression and the freedom of propagating one's beliefs". They recommend the Committee to call upon the French government to ensure that the freedom of expression and religion is respected.

The National Assembly of France passed the law in February. It is designed to fight radical Islamism by controlling the contents taught in mosques. The new legislation was announced by President Emmanuel Macron in October last year, after the terrorist attack in which a teacher was killed.