Repeated violations of freedom of thought and opinion at Rome City Council
7.3.2022
Question for written answer E-000918/2022/rev.1
to the Commission
Rule 138
Simona Baldassarre (ID), Alessandra Basso (ID), Mara Bizzotto (ID), Isabella Tovaglieri (ID), Paolo Borchia (ID)
Rome City Council has ordered the removal of some posters that the association Pro Vita & Famiglia had put up as part of a peaceful campaign for International Women’s Day, aimed at promoting the right to life and condemning the deviant practices of sex-selective abortion around the world.
The posters show a baby in the womb, with the words, ‘Power to women? First let them be born!’ This is the third time that censorship such as this has occurred in the city of Rome. These incidents bear witness to the restrictions placed on freedom of speech and opinion, despite their being enshrined as fundamental rights in Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, Article 11 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Parliament itself has described sex-selective abortion as ‘ruthless sexual discrimination’.
In the light of the above, can the Commission answer the following questions:
- 1.What can it do to prevent incidents such as these from reoccurring, thereby guaranteeing all citizens their right to freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to receive or pass on information, without being censored or discriminated against on ideological grounds?
- 2.With 8 March in mind, will it encourage initiatives that promote every woman’s freedom to have the children she wants without having to choose between career goals and the desire to have a family?
Supporter[1]
- [1] This question is supported by a Member other than the authors: Susanna Ceccardi (ID)