From http://www.frankfurter-rundschau.de/ressorts/nachrichten_und_politik/aus_aller_welt/?sid=3d54bf8ae24406886a915fa97c17828e&cnt=184486
Belgien klagt Scientologen an
Neun Sektenmitglieder unter anderem des Betrugs geziehen
Der Brüsseler Untersuchungsrichter Jean-Claude van Espen hat neun Angehörige der Scientology-Sekte wegen verschiedener Delikte wie Betrug, Verletzung der Privatsphäre und illegaler Ausübung des Apotheker- und Arztberufes unter Anklage gestellt.
Von Klaus Bachmann
BRÜSSEL, 30. März. Ein Sprecher der Staatsanwaltschaft bestätigte das Verfahren gegen die Sektenmitglieder, über das zuvor verschiedene belgische Medien berichtet hatten. Es sei eine Folge von 25 Haussuchungen, die 1999 gegen Scientology durchgeführt worden seien.
Die Ermittlungen waren damals von einem ehemaligen Sektenmitglied ausgelöst worden, das die Rückzahlung der von ihm entrichteten Beiträge und Kursgebühren eingefordert hatte. Allen neun Beschuldigten wird darüber hinaus auch die Mitgliedschaft in einer kriminellen Vereinigung vorgeworfen. Die Anklage muss nun noch von der zuständigen Kammer zugelassen werden.
Der Prozess gegen die Mitglieder von Scientology Belgien - darunter gegen einige Führungspersonen - wird mit einiger Spannung erwartet.
Die Haussuchungen von 1999 hätten, so berichtet die frankophone katholische Tageszeitung La Libre Belgique, Hinweise darauf ergeben, dass auch mehrere Abgeordnete, ein Journalist und Mitglieder der inzwischen aufgelösten und in der Gemeinde- und der föderalen Polizei aufgegangenen belgischen Gendarmerie Mitglieder der Sekte gewesen seien. Auch Querverbindungen zur rechtsextremen Szene Belgiens seien dabei deutlich geworden.
Ein Ermittlungsausschuss des Parlaments hatte Scientology 1999 in eine Liste von Sekten aufgenommen und als "schädlich und gefährlich"
eingestuft. Die Scientology-Bewegung, die sich selbst als Religion bezeichnet, hat sowohl gegen den Parlamentsbericht als auch gegen die Haussuchungen protestiert. In einer Petition an die damalige UN-Hochkommissarin für Menschenrechte, Mary Robinson, verlangte Scientology zudem die Rückgabe von 2000 Dossiers, die van Espen beschlagnahmt hat. Gegen den Parlamentsbericht hatte Scientology in Brüssel Klage eingereicht. Um das durch die Haussuchungen und Ermittlungsverfahren angeschlagene Image aufzumöbeln, veranstaltete die Sekte in Brüssel im Herbst vergangenen Jahres sogar einen "Tag der offenen Tür".
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Rough online translation:
http://ets.freetranslation.com/
Belgium accuses Scientologen
Nine champagnes members among other things the fraud pulled
That Brussels investigation judge Jean-Claude van Espen placed nine members of the Scientology sect because of different offense as well as fraud, injury of the privacy and illegal execution of the druggist occupation and physician occupation under accusation.
From Klaus Bachmann
BRUSSELS, 30 March. A speaker of the district attorney's office confirmed the procedure against the champagnes members, over the media different Belgian before reported had. Let it be a sequence of 25 Haussuchungen, that had been carried out 1999 against Scientology.
The ascertainments had been released at that time by a former champagnes member, who had called for the repayment of the contributions paid by it and cure proper. All nine accused also the membership in a criminal union is reproached in addition. The accusation must be allowed yet by the responsible chamber now.
The process against the members of Scientology Belgium - under that against some leadership persons - is expected with some tension. The Haussuchungen of 1999 would have, reports yielded the frankophone Catholic daily newspaper La Libre Belgique, references on that that also several delegates, a journalist and members of that had been in the mean time dissolved and in the community and the föderalen police risen Belgian Gendarmerie members of the sect. Also breadth connections to the extreme right scene of Belgium had become clear.
An ascertainment sow shot of the parliament had received Scientology 1999 into a list of champagnes and had classified as "injuriously and dangerously". The Scientology movement that designates itself as a religion has both protested against the parliament report and against the Haussuchungen. In a petition at the at that time UN-Hochkommissarin for human rights, Mary Robinson, demanded Scientology moreover the return of 2000 dossiers that seized van Espen. Against the parliament report, Scientology in Brussels complaint had submitted. Around the image marred by the Haussuchungen and investigative procedure up furniture, arranged the sect in Brussels in the autumn of past year even a "day of the open door".
Date: Fri, 04 Apr 2003 17:28:23 -0500
From: tikk <trash@tikk.net>
Subject: Belgium accuses Scientologists of fraud
Message-ID: <3e8e070a$1@news2.lightlink.com>
This was sent to me by a reliable source who'd prefer to remain unnamed.
Unfortunately no url, but perhaps one will emerge (and/or related stories from different sources) in the coming days.
==========
Belgium accuses Scientologists Nine members of the sect on various
charges including fraud Brussels' examining magistrate, Jean-Claude van
Espen, has charged nine members of the Scientology sect with various
offences, including fraud, invasion of privacy and illegally practising
as pharmacist and doctor.
By Klaus Bachmann
BRUSSELS, 30th March. A spokesman for the public prosecutor's office has confirmed that proceedings are being instituted against the members of the sect who had been the subject of previous reports in the Belgian media. Apparently the action that has been taken is the consequence of 25 house searches carried out against Scientology in 1999.
Investigations at the time had been triggered by a former member of the sect, who had demanded the repayment of the contributions and course fees he had paid. All nine accused are also being charged with being members of a criminal association It now remains only for the charges to be approved by the appropriate court.
Anticipation of the case against the members of Scientology Belgium - including some senior individuals - is creating considerable tension. La Libre Belgique, a French-language Catholic daily newspaper, reported that the house searches in 1999 had provided grounds for believing that several members of parliament, a journalist and members of the Belgian Gendarmerie (an organisation that has since been dissolved and absorbed into the local and federal police force) were also members of the sect.
Furthermore, links with Belgium's extreme right wing had emerged during this operation.
A fact-finding parliamentary committee had included Scientology on the list of sects and classified it as "damaging and dangerous". The Scientology movement, which describes itself as a religion, protested against both the parliamentary report and the house searches. In a petition to Mary Robinson, the then UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Scientology organisation also demanded the return of 2000 files that had been seized by van Espen. To enhance their image after the knocks suffered as a result of the house searches and the judicial enquiry, the sect even organised an "Open Day" in Brussels in the autumn of last year.
Copyright © Frankfurter Rundschau 2003
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