Scientologists in new court appeal
Sect claims that charges of ‘organised fraud’ violate its ‘freedom of religion’
SCIENTOLOGISTS have gone to France’s supreme appeal court, the Cour de Cassation, to try to overturn guilty verdicts on charges of "organised fraud" and fines of €600,000 that date back to 2009.
The Church of Scientology claims its right of “freedom of religion” has been violated by the case.
In 2002 a French parliamentary report classed Scientology as a sect, although it is seen as a religion in the US and in several other European countries.
The charges date back to two complaints in Paris from people who say they were defrauded of large sums as the church coerced them into buying materials in the Scientology Celebrity Centre in Paris and its SEL bookshop.
Last year, an appeal court upheld the charges and fines, of €400,000 against the celebrity centre and €200,000 against the shop.
Scientology leader in Paris, Alain Rosenberg, and former celebrity centre president Sabine Jacquart were also given two-year suspended prison sentences plus €30,000 fines.
The court will give its verdict next month but church officials say they may take the case to the European Court of Human Rights.
Further reading: Scientology fined €600,000
