BHA: Welcome new book ‘unmasks fiction’ of Vatican statehood

A new book published today (08/09/10) by eminent jurist Geoffrey Robertson QC ‘unmasks the fiction of the statehood of the Holy See’ the British Humanist Association (BHA) has said, describing it as ‘very welcome’ in challenging the whole basis of the Pope’s state visit to the UK.

‘The Case of the Pope: Vatican Accountability for Human Rights Abuse’ critiques the Vatican’s claim to statehood.

The BHA is a leading voice in the campaign against the state visit of the Pope to the UK and is a founder member of the ‘Protest the Pope’ campaign.

Andrew Copson, BHA Chief Executive, commented, ‘The Holy See’s pretensions to statehood are nothing more than a convenient fiction allowing the Catholic Church increased power on the international stage and an amplification of its influence on individual states through treaties with those states and on international organisations. This masquerade threatens democracy, human rights and the rule of law wherever it is recognised and Geoffrey Robertson’s contribution to un-masking this is very welcome’.

Notes

For further comment or information, please contact Andrew Copson on 07534 248596 or andrew@humanism.org.uk

The BHA is a member of the Protest the Pope Campaign which protests against the state visit of the Pope to the UK www.protest-the-pope.org.uk

The BHA and other members of the Protest the Pope campaign are not against the Pope coming to the UK as a religious leader. Our opposition is to the visit being a state visit, with the British people footing the bill.

The British Humanist Association is the national charity representing and supporting the interests of ethically concerned, non-religious people in the UK. It is the largest organisation in the UK campaigning for an end to religious privilege and to discrimination based on religion or belief, and for a secular state.