Corte di Cassazione - Sez. I Penale 41474/2013: Court of Cassation - Penal section, Italy: 7 October 2013

Human rights – Freedom of religion – Interference with – Buddhist inmate filing appeal to Surveillance Court of Novara against prison administration denial of Buddhist chaplaincy and vegetarian meals – Surveillance Court refusing to initiate judicial procedure on ground fundamental rights not engaged – Surveillance Court rejecting complaint by informal procedure – Applicant challenging decision in Court of Cassation alleging violation of religious freedom by prison administration – Whether Surveillance Court should have activated judicial procedure to decide case on the merits – Whether denial of chaplaincy and refusal to accommodate religious dietary requirements could found appeal based on right to freedom of religion – Italian Constitution, arts 2, 8, 9, 19 – Prison Law Code, arts 14ter and 6.