An atheist group in Greece has taken a case to the European Court of Human Rights seeking to have religious symbols removed from public buildings, especially courts. If the court finds in favour of the group, the ruling will have European-wide implications including possibly in Ireland.

The Greek City Times reports that the Union of Atheists, which has taken the case against Greece, claims that religious symbols in court rooms are discriminatory. Greek courts have found against the Union which is why the case has now gone to the ECHR.

ADF International has intervened as a third party in support of Greece’s position. The legal advocacy group argues that removing such symbols misinterprets religious freedom and secular neutrality. They reference the ECHR’s landmark 2011 Grand Chamber ruling in Lautsi v. Italy, which found that crucifixes in Italian public school classrooms do not constitute indoctrination or infringe on rights to freedom of thought, conscience, or religion.