In a decision that will resonate far beyond Italy’s borders, the Civil Court of Florence has delivered a landmark judgment condemning the Associazione Italiana Vittime delle Sette (AIVS) — the Italian Association of Victims of Sects — for a campaign of defamation and incitement against the Buddhist religious organization Soka Gakkai. The ruling forcefully rejects the “cult” label often wielded by anti-cult groups, affirming the full legitimacy and religious status of Soka Gakkai in the eyes of the Italian state.
In the words of the judge, “L’Istituto Buddista non è una setta ma un ente religioso riconosciuto dallo Stato” — The Buddhist Institute is not a cult but a religious entity recognized by the State. It is a line that cuts through years of toxic discourse promoted by associations like AIVS, whose methods the Court deemed not only defamatory but deliberately hostile, humiliating, and unfounded.
A Long Campaign of Defamation
The lawsuit, brought by the Istituto Buddista Italiano Soka Gakkai (IBISG), stemmed from a relentless public smear campaign by AIVS and its leaders, Antonio Occhiello and Francesco Brunori. Over a period of years, the association published Facebook posts and interviews in which they accused the Buddhist organization of having secured government recognition and public funds (via Italy’s 8×1000 tax mechanism) through backdoor political deals — a fantasy involving ex-Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Japanese corporate giants like Mitsui.
The accusations became grotesquely theatrical. IBISG was called a “mafia-style coercive group,” a “P2-like secret society,” and “an infestation” that had wormed its way into Italy’s institutions — from Parliament to the health service and even the judiciary. At one point, the group was described as “the richest and most dangerous cult in the world” — language more befitting pulp conspiracy theories than serious critique.
As if that wasn’t enough, AIVS also circulated a video on its YouTube channel showing individuals burning the Gohonzon — a sacred object central to Soka Gakkai’s devotional practice — with the mocking caption, “burning the bad-luck scroll.” It was not only a vile act of religious vilification, but a calculated gesture of symbolic violence.
A Judge’s Rebuttal
The Court, presided over by Judge Massimo Maione Mannamo, was unsparing in its criticism. The ruling recognizes the legitimacy of Soka Gakkai’s status under Italian law — a recognition formalized through an agreement signed with the Italian State and ratified unanimously by both houses of Parliament in 2016. As the decision recalls, “La legge fu approvata all’unanimità” — The law was passed unanimously — in a transparent process that began over a decade earlier.
Thus, the accusations of underhanded political favoritism were dismissed as unfounded, and the claim that the organization operated without public oversight of its finances was proven false. The Court noted that Soka Gakkai had publicly submitted financial reports regarding its 8×1000 contributions for multiple years — a point that AIVS ignored in its statements.
But perhaps the most significant aspect of the ruling is the Court’s firm rejection of the use of the word “setta” — cult — to describe a recognized religious body. The judge emphasized that the term carries “indubbia connotazione negativa” — an unquestionably negative connotation — that “is offensive to the reputation of a religious institution recognized as such by law”.
To those who argue that they merely echoed views published in books or expressed by foreign journalists, the Court responded clearly: repeating unverified and defamatory allegations does not excuse one from the responsibility of ensuring truthfulness and respect. AIVS, said the Court, did not simply report critiques from others — it amplified them, exaggerated them, and delivered them with malicious flair.
The judge condemned AIVS’s posts as “gratuiti, offensivi, denigratori e sprezzanti” — gratuitous, offensive, denigrating, and scornful — adding that such attacks far exceed the boundaries of free expression or the legitimate right to criticize.
Damages and Consequences
The Court awarded €35,247 in non-material damages to Soka Gakkai, explicitly acknowledging the reputational harm caused by the defamatory campaign. While this is less than the €160,000 originally claimed, the ruling is nonetheless a moral and legal victory.
More importantly, AIVS and its leaders have been ordered to:
- Remove all defamatory content from their Facebook page;
- Publish the full court judgment on their page;
- Cease future publication of similar material.
The judge also dismissed AIVS’s attempt to claim they were acting in the public interest or in line with their mission to “combat cults.” The ruling is clear: defamation cloaked in the rhetoric of activism is still defamation.
A Reckoning for the Anti-Cult Industry
This judgment is more than a legal slap on the wrist. It is an indictment of the tactics long used by anti-cult associations, in Italy and beyond. For decades, these groups have operated under the mantle of victim advocacy while employing methods more suited to ideological warfare than evidence-based inquiry.
Associations like AIVS have often blurred the line between watchdog and witch-hunter. Their default strategy involves labeling minority religions as “cults,” invoking unverified claims of psychological manipulation, and weaponizing public fear. In many cases, their actions have real-world consequences — stigmatizing believers, damaging reputations, and obstructing the right to religious freedom.
The Florence ruling confronts this strategy head-on. It asserts that there are limits — legal, ethical, and constitutional — to how far one can go in the name of “criticism.” It also recognizes that the right to religious freedom, enshrined in Article 8 of the Italian Constitution, applies to new religious movements as much as to ancient traditions.
The Bigger Picture
Soka Gakkai, with nearly 100,000 adherents in Italy and a presence in more than 190 countries, is part of a global movement that promotes peace, culture, and education. It has formal legal recognition in Italy and cooperates transparently with the state on matters of tax allocation.
To label such a movement a “cult” — and to denigrate its beliefs, practices, and adherents in public forums — is not just an insult; it is a form of religious intolerance. When carried out systematically and maliciously, as AIVS did, it becomes a legal wrong. This is the essence of the Florence Court’s decision.
The ruling should serve as a wake-up call to governments and media alike. There is a pressing need to re-examine the legitimacy, accountability, and ideological underpinnings of anti-cult organizations. It is time to question who gave them the authority to declare what is or isn’t a religion — and to hold them to the same standards of truth, fairness, and respect they so often demand from others.
In a moment where religious diversity is growing and minority faiths are becoming more visible, the Florence judgment is a milestone — not only for Soka Gakkai, but for the broader defense of religious freedom and human dignity in democratic societies.
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First published in this link of The European Times.
