France would imprison those who discourage COVID vaccination or chemotherapy

New legislation in France would fine and imprison those who encourage people to refuse appropriate medical treatment.On February 14, the National Assembly passed legislation entitled Fight Against Sectarian Aberrations, which says anyone who advises against mRNA or other “medical treatments” that are “obviously suitable” can be imprisoned for up to three years or receive a fine of up to 45,000 Euros.Thomas Ménagé from Marine Le Pen’s party Rassemblement National called the law “a development hostile to freedom.”Article 4 of the legislation creates a new offence aimed at punishing "provocation to abandon or abstain from following therapeutic or prophylactic medical treatment" as well as "provocation to adopt practices presented as having a therapeutic or prophylactic purpose" when these incentives can prove to be "particularly serious" for physical or psychological health.The article was initially voted down, but a politician from President Emmanuel Macron's party condemned opposition to Article 4 as an “alliance against science” of which he was “ashamed.” A renewed Article 4 was successfully voted in after protections were given for whistleblowers and for those who refused treatment based on sectarian advice "if proof of the person's free and informed consent is provided." This slightly amended draft was adopted in the first reading, 151 votes to 73 with little debate. Arthur Delaporte of the Socialist Party welcomed the successful passage of Article 4 and said, "With this article, we defend science."Florian Philippot, the party leader of Les Patriots, a splinter from Le Pen's party, predicted a week in advance that the Macron government would reintroduce the “Pfizer amendment." At the time, Philippot wrote, "The National Assembly wants to reintroduce it with the support of the Council of Orders, although even the Council of State classifies it as anti-freedom.”According to BNN, one inspiration for the law was Thierry Casasnovas, an advocate for raw foods who is publicly critical of chemotherapy. The law would be also applicable to those who discourage vaccination.The explanatory memorandum of the bill said "over the past ten years, sectarian excesses have evolved: in addition to groups with religious pretensions, there are now a multitude of groups or individuals who invest in the fields of health, nutrition and well-being, but also personal development, coaching, training, etcetera."The text adds that, "the health crisis has constituted an ideal breeding ground for these new sectarian excesses . New forms of 'gurus' or self-proclaimed thought leaders are acting online, taking advantage of the vitality of social networks to unite around them real communities."The law is part of a national strategy against sectarian abuses. France has an agency called Mivilitudes where citizens can report such "sectarian drift," something the agency's website describes as follows:"It is a perversion of freedom of thought, opinion or religion which undermines public order, laws or regulations, fundamental rights, security or integrity of people. It is characterized by the implementation, by an organized group or by an isolated individual, whatever its nature or activity, of pressures or techniques aimed at creating, maintaining or exploiting a state in a person of psychological or physical subjection, depriving them of part of their free will, with damaging consequences for this person, those around them or for society."Jean-François Coulomme from the left-wing alliance La France Insoumise, said legislative attempts to deal with such issues risked going too far."The sincerity of this fight against dangerous sectarian developments must not consist in punishing complementary care practices or the consumption of phytotherapeutic products by law," he said.Having passed first reading last year in the National Assembly, the legislation now goes to a joint committee of assembly members and senators for further consideration.

France would imprison those who discourage COVID vaccination or chemotherapy

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