The governments of ten countries belonging to the Council of Europe appealed against the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights on the Crucifix. During the hearing on 30 June, the Grand Chamber of the Strasbourg Court will examine the “written observations” submitted by these countries (Russia, Lithuania, Malta, San-Marino, Bulgaria, Monaco, Cyprus, Greece, Romania and Armenia) as well as the arguments of the applicant’s attorney and of the representatives of the Italian government.
Another appeal was put forward by a group of 33 members of the European Parliament. Among the interveners for or against the rule are NGOs and associations such as Greek Helsinki Monitor, Associazione nazionale del libero pensiero, European Centre for Law and Justice, Eurojuris, International Commission of Jurists, Interights and Human Rights Watch. Finally, a joint appeal was also filed by Zentralkomitee des deutschen Katholiken, Semaines sociales de France and Associazioni cristiane lavoratori italiani.