6 October 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
EUROPEAN HUMAN RIGHTS DIRECTOR ADDRESSES OSCE PLENARY SESSION IN WARSAW
Mr. Weightman (center) addressing the plenary session in Warsaw
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Martin Weightman, Church of Scientology International European Human Rights Director, today told 200 delegates at the plenary session of the Human Dimension Conference of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Warsaw that discrimination against religious minorities continues in a number of Western European nations. At the same time, he welcomed “an expressed willingness on the part of certain government officials to engage in dialogue with targeted minorities… what is most needed to reinforce it is an increased political will and intention to make constructive dialogue, in the interests of pluralism and tolerance, a reality.”
Mr. Weightman expressed strong criticism of the Belgian government’s “Observatory” on so-called sects. “Although the legislation that created the Observatory mandated that it be independent and objective, the Observatory has repeatedly and overtly displayed its bias and lack of objectivity… Unless the Observatory substantially alters its mode of operation in the near future, it should be disbanded, as it serves no useful purpose and is in fact harmful because it foments intolerance while taking no actions to uphold religious rights,” Mr. Weightman stated.
