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Translation of a Russian article posted on Aug. 27, 2010 on the website of Amur GTRK (Amur District State Television and Radio Company):
http://www.gtrkamur.ru/index.php?readmore=3354
Snapshot of the article translated above:
http://www.gtrkamur.ru/index.php?readmore=3354
In Blagoveshchensk Scientologists are selling literature banned in Russia
The district prosecutor's office is investigating
by O. Fedorov and P. Padalko
August 27, 2010.
The Amur prosecutor's office has begun an investigation into a case which promises to be unique. In Blagoveshchensk, Scientologists are selling literature that is banned in Russia.
Scientologists are considered sectarian by representatives of traditional religions, however, in Blagoveshchensk for example, the followers of Ron Hubbard are officially registered as an organization. Scientologists draw people in straight off the street and meet with them either in libraries or in the offices of the Dianetics dissemination center (Dianetics is a method for "processing" consciousness). Talks for beginners are given in the evening. After viewing films for an hour and a half, visitors can buy books by Ron Hubbard. Many of his works, like, for example, Hitler's book, are banned from distribution in Russia. In Blagoveshchensk, the very publications that are officially classified as extremist are quietly sold for more than 700 rubles.
Personnel of the justice directorate were able to obtain a copy of a book entitled "Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health". This title appears in the federal list of extremist materials.
"The Scientology and Dianetics dissemination organization has in the past been charged with violations of the federal law regarding unlicensed activities", says Nikolai Rybalchenko, assistant to the head of the Amur directorate of the Justice Ministry of the Russian Federation.
The prosecutor's office will study the content of several hundred pages. The Justice Ministry's directorate forwarded the materials under investigation to the prosecutor's office for further action.
"If the presence of violations is established, immediate measures will be taken by the prosecutor's office, including criminal proceedings," the assistant prosecutor for the Amur district told our correspondent. "As everyone knows, Shalimov, the erstwhile head of a Scientology branch [in the Skovorodinsk region] was convicted and received a prison sentence".
This Scientology case promises to become unique in the history of the Amur district, where extremist literature has never been seized. It is entirely possible that the Blagoveshchensk Dianetics center will be shut down. In recent times, the followers of Ron Hubbard have been prohibited by court order from establishing organizations in more than ten regions of Russia.
Snapshot of the article translated above:
