E/CN.4/2006/5/Add.4 page 5 Introduction 1. From 18 to 29 September 2005, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief carried out a visit to France in fulfilment of her mandate, at her request and at the invitation of the Government of France. 2. The Special Rapporteur held the majority of her meetings in Paris but also travelled to Aix-en-Provence, Marseilles, Lyons and Strasbourg. During her visit, she held talks with Government officials, leaders and representatives of religious communities and communities of belief, representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academics and experts in the field of freedom of religion or belief. 3. The Special Rapporteur wishes to thank the French authorities for their invitation and for the cooperation they extended to her during her visit. 4. She is also grateful for the positive attitude demonstrated by religious representatives during the visit and for the information and opinions that they shared with her. Members of French civil society were also extremely accessible during the entire duration of the visit and provided invaluable assistance in the organization of different meetings. 5. In the present report, the Special Rapporteur does not intend to present a complete and exhaustive picture of the situation of religions and beliefs in France or to provide a thorough analysis of the questions related to religion. 6. The Special Rapporteur intends to concentrate on certain aspects of the status of freedom of religion or belief in France. In particular, she focuses on legislation on conspicuous religious symbols in public schools, the Government policy on the question of cult groups and certain new religious movements or communities of belief, the religious rights of persons deprived of their liberty and acts of religious intolerance. I. PROGRAMME OF THE VISIT 7. The Special Rapporteur spent eight days in Paris, where she held numerous meetings. 8. At the presidential and governmental level, the Special Rapporteur met Catherine Vautrin, Minister for Social Cohesion and Equality; Brice Hortefeux, Minister for Local Government (Ministre délégué aux Collectivités Territoriales); Blandine Kriegel, Special Adviser to the President for Integration and Human Rights; Didier Leschi, Head of the Central Office for Religion, Ministry of the Interior; Jean de l’Hermitte, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Civil Liberties; Patrick Gerard, Director of the office of the Minister of National Education and members of his staff; Catherine Pautrat and Mauric Barate of Prison Services; Jean-Maurice Ripert, Director of the United Nations Department at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs; and Laurent Stefanini, Adviser on Religious Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Special Rapporteur regrets that the Minister of the Interior was not able to meet with her. 9. The Special Rapporteur also met Bernard Stasi, former chairman of the Commission on the implementation of the principle of laïcité1 in France (Commission de réflexion sur l’application du principe de laïcité dans la Republique, known as the Commission Stasi); Gilles Bottine, Secretary-General of the inter-ministerial mission to monitor and combat