Church of Scientology fined by Danish court for defamation
Associated Press, Jan. 10, 2003
http://www.religionnewsblog.com/archives/00001885.html
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) -- A Danish court fined the Church of on
Friday for publishing defamatory remarks
(
http://www.gospelcom.net/apologeticsindex/rnb/archives/00001134.html
)
about an east German filmmaker and a Danish journalist described by
the church as having links to the former East German secret police.
Anette Refstrup, the Danish editor-in-chief of the church's magazine
Frihed, or Freedom, was fined 10,000 kroner (US$1,370) and the church
was ordered by the Copenhagen City Court to pay court fees of 130,000
kroner (US$17,800).
In 1999, Frihed published a story that claimed filmmaker Walther
Heynowski worked for East Germany's Stasi and trained Danish
journalist Joergen Pedersen.
The article was published after the Church of Scientology tried to
stop Pedersen from making a television show critical of the church,
which is not recognized as a religious organization in Denmark.
Heynowski, a German citizen, and Pedersen worked together on the show.
They sued the church for defamation and demanded 250,000 kroner
(US$34,200) apiece.
Tarja Vulto, a spokeswoman for the Church of Scientology in Europe,
told The Associated Press that the church would appeal the decision.
"We are quite shocked about this ruling because it stops the freedom
of speech," she said from the church's Copenhagen offices. "We think
it is totally unacceptable and we are going to appeal it."
Vulto said there are more than 15,000 Scientologists in Denmark. The
church's European headquarters is based in Copenhagen.
Among those who testified in the trial, which started in October, was
former East German spymaster Markus Wolf, who denied Heynowski had
worked for him.
The Los Angeles-based Church of Scientology was founded in 1954 by L.
Ron Hubbard.
:===End Quote===
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[Note: The
Scientology®
organization has at best estimate approximately
45,000 to 50,000 followers world wide -- contrary to the 8 million figure
that the organization has been claiming for the past few years or so.
While that number continues to drop (thanks in part to the Internet) few
of the remaining followers are even aware of the unending series of police
raids, indictments, and prison terms their leaders and fellow cultists are
subjected to routinely. Few are allowed to know about their organization's
criminal history, or its current racketeering activities. Even fewer of
the cult's remaining followers are privy to their messiah's written
policies which dictates the criminal behavior that keeps getting their
organization raided (see Xenu.NET for
suitable references of Scientology policy) Scientology management
is the problem, not the thousands of honest believers who are good,
honest citizens; themselves victims of Scientology - flr]
The name "Narconon"® is trademarked to the Scientology organization through one of their many front groups. The name "Scientology"® is also trademarked to the "Church" of Scientology. Neither this web page, nor this web site, nor any of the individuals mentioned herein assisting to educate the public about the dangers of the Narconon scam are members of or representitives of the Scientology organization.
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