OPINIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE FRENCH CGLPL • • chaplains, without the need to draw any distinction between paperback and hardback books inside custodial establishments. Detainees should be allowed to keep religious objects that are not likely to pose a threat to security. Respect should be shown for such objects, regardless of their owner’s denomination (neutrality as an expression of secularism) and regardless of the beliefs of the staff supervising such establishments (neutrality of public sector employees). Although it has been unable to check whether such allegations are true, the contrôle général des lieux de privation de liberté has received a number of complaints relating to the disappearance of or deliberate damage to such objects, or behaviour that clearly demonstrates contempt. In more general terms, tendentious comments made by staff, whether employed by public or private bodies, regarding religious beliefs and practices of any kind, are not covered by the rules applicable to custodial establishments: they never serve any useful purpose, and they are usually prejudicial. 6/ In point of fact, certain religions are not widely practised, particularly on account of the diversity of current religious practice in France. Nevertheless, as soon as a request is submitted for assistance relating to a form of worship, the religious nature of which is not in doubt, and for organisational support for this religion in response to such request, the principle of secularism cannot be applied as a justification for rejecting this on any grounds, other than those stated in section 3 above, in terms of principles. As a result, two obligations are incumbent on the authorities. On the one hand, while they themselves must clearly not determine which groupings or claimed denominations do or do not constitute a form of worship, they must abide by the courts’ recognition of the religious nature of legally constituted bodies provided that such recognition has been granted. By way of illustration, this applies to one such body, some of whose activities were not only recognised by the courts as a public form of worship (Lyon Administrative Court of Appeal, 18th  January 1990), but some of whose groupings were also recognised as a religious organisation (Council of State, Section, 23rd  June 2000, Minister of the Economy, Finance and Industry, n°215 109), within the meaning of Part IV of the Law of 9th December 1905, following the example of certain administrative bodies (e.g. the 88