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Patron Meritorious
A June 3, 2011 Scientology press release announces that the "Spiritual Association of the Church of Scientology - Celebrity Centre" is suing the Government of France for one million euros in damages.
The association was convicted of organized fraud in October 2009 (the press release omits this), but an appeal will be heard in Novermber 2011. During the summing up at the end of the trial in June 2009, prosecutor Maud Coujard requested that the association be dissolved. The press release says that this was a very grave error because dissolution was not permitted under French law at the time, and that this entails "legal consequences" because the prosecutor's remarks were reported around the world. Since prosecutors cannot be held individually responsible for errors committed while exercising their functions, Scientology is suing the State.
The press release quotes the association's spokesperson: "As for the legal amendment that made such a sentence illegal [dissolution], it has been amply shown that Scientologists had as much to do with it as Christians did with the Great Fire of Rome in the year 64."
Background: A cut-and-paste error in the text of a revised law deleted the provision that would have allowed the court to order the dissolution of Scientology in France. The revision became law on May 13, 2009, but it went unnoticed by prosecutors and cult watchers until September 2009. The provision was later restored, but cannot be applied retroactively.
Press release:
Communiqué : l’Eglise de Scientologie poursuit l’état français pour 1 million d’euros
http://www<dot>ericroux<dot>com/Communique-l-Eglise-de-Scientologie-poursuit-l-etat-francais-pour-1-million-d-euros_a145<dot>html
Also reported in French media, for example Le Figaro, June 3, 2011:
La Scientologie assigne l'Etat
The association was convicted of organized fraud in October 2009 (the press release omits this), but an appeal will be heard in Novermber 2011. During the summing up at the end of the trial in June 2009, prosecutor Maud Coujard requested that the association be dissolved. The press release says that this was a very grave error because dissolution was not permitted under French law at the time, and that this entails "legal consequences" because the prosecutor's remarks were reported around the world. Since prosecutors cannot be held individually responsible for errors committed while exercising their functions, Scientology is suing the State.
The press release quotes the association's spokesperson: "As for the legal amendment that made such a sentence illegal [dissolution], it has been amply shown that Scientologists had as much to do with it as Christians did with the Great Fire of Rome in the year 64."
Background: A cut-and-paste error in the text of a revised law deleted the provision that would have allowed the court to order the dissolution of Scientology in France. The revision became law on May 13, 2009, but it went unnoticed by prosecutors and cult watchers until September 2009. The provision was later restored, but cannot be applied retroactively.
Press release:
Communiqué : l’Eglise de Scientologie poursuit l’état français pour 1 million d’euros
http://www<dot>ericroux<dot>com/Communique-l-Eglise-de-Scientologie-poursuit-l-etat-francais-pour-1-million-d-euros_a145<dot>html
Also reported in French media, for example Le Figaro, June 3, 2011:
La Scientologie assigne l'Etat
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