France Puts Scientology on Trial

February 22, 2002 8:10 CDT

Imagine asking to be removed from a mailing list and demanding the company not contact you again. Now imagine that you continue to receive brochures, booklets and invitations from them instead of being left alone. The abuse continues for literally years.

Now imagine that you live in France, and the organization that's hounding you is in fact, the Church of Scientology. Ah, here's where things get interesting! Last year, France adopted very tough anti-cult legislation that allows the dissolution of suspected sects that are found guilty of common offences.

It's important to understand the distinction of this case: it's not specific members of the Church of Scientology who've been charged here; it's the organization itself. The landmark case was scheduled to begin hearings on Thursday the 21st and will make history, regardless of the outcome.

Prosecutors intend to charge the Church's inner temple, the Spiritual Association of the Church of Scientology in the Paris region, and its president, Marc Walter, with abuse of civil liberties, misleading publicity and attempted fraud.

After three men complained of being harassed despite repeated requests to have their names removed from all Church information, research revealed that the men's names were featured in half a dozen different databases maintained by the Church in France, Britain, Denmark, and Los Angeles. The prosecution claims that this is a clear-cut case of a breach of civil liberties and data protection and that the organization was specifically set up and designed to commit these offenses. The defense is adamant that this whole thing is "a minor affair about the complaint of a couple of individuals". Source: Guardian UK