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Scientology suing the Government of France

mnql1

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
 
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secretiveoldfag

Silver Meritorious Patron
So, as I understand it, Scientology would have been dissolved (following the judgment in May) but could not be dissolved when sentencing took place some months later because meanwhile some unknown person had just happened to take dissolution out of the possible sentences. Surprise surprise.

But I also understand that some things did become illegal in France.

Anyone who knows what?

Co$ should realise that in France an appeal can lead to a heavier sentence if the judge gets a better view of the facts and doesn't like what s/he sees.
 

Feral

Rogue male
Because it seems to have stemmed from a cut and paste error which is now corrected it would be nice if the appeal process opened the door to revisiting the proposed dissolution of the cult in France.

I can't see them prevailing in their attempt to sue the French Government though. But I guess it gives us a clue as to what we've got ahead of us here in Australia.
 
Because it seems to have stemmed from a cut and paste error which is now corrected it would be nice if the appeal process opened the door to revisiting the proposed dissolution of the cult in France.

I can't see them prevailing in their attempt to sue the French Government though. But I guess it gives us a clue as to what we've got ahead of us here in Australia.

This is another area where what works in the USA might not work elsewhere.
I can imagine the French Government and the French citizens getting very pissed off with this kind of crap and retaliating with a bigger bitch slap than the first one.
Maybe another big footbullet coming up.
 

freethinker

Sponsor
This is not a bright move by the church.

They are truly bringing about their own demise.

I'll put money on France.
 

namaste

Silver Meritorious Patron
fight, fight, fight
push, push, push
resist, resist, resist

Doing the same things and expecting different results...

poor saps
 

Royal Prince Xenu

Trust the Psi Corps.
This is another area where what works in the USA might not work elsewhere.
I can imagine the French Government and the French citizens getting very pissed off with this kind of crap and retaliating with a bigger bitch slap than the first one.
Maybe another big footbullet coming up.

This is very true. I'm just hoping that here in Australia we can maintain enough momentum to keep the Eastgate-gate revelations in public view. If we can keep it high-profile for long enough then mayhaps the u.s. media will finally pick up the story.

RPX
 

Lohan2008

Gold Meritorious Patron
Babblefish

The Church of Scientology, condemned by the French court in October 2009 with heavy fines but not prohibited from exercising, sued the State in court for "gross misconduct" after the requisition of the prosecution during the trial, did it announced today. On 27 October 2009, the Paris Criminal Court had sentenced the proselytizing practices of Scientology, while allowing the maintenance of its structures. At the trial held in June 2009, including the prosecution had requis of dissolution Celebrity Centre and its library, the two main French organizations of Scientology. But this solution was in fact inapplicable. "A summons filed by the Church of Scientology reported these illegal requisitions constituting gross negligence on the part of the prosecutor, due in the best case to a gross error," said Scientology in a statement. A change in law occurred in May 2009 but went unnoticed untilSeptember of that year, no longer to dissolve a corporation convicted of fraud. This information had caused an outcry, critics of Scientology accused the organization to have piloted this legislative change.

http://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/2...la-scientologie-assigne-l-etat-pour-faute.php

* Le Figaro is a French daily newspaper founded in 1826 and published in Paris. It is the oldest and second-largest national newspaper in France after Aujourd'hui en France and before Le Monde.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Figaro
 

Lohan2008

Gold Meritorious Patron
okkkkk, so Cof$ is going to prove in court that their "good reputation" was damaged by the (successful) procecution ??? !

:footbullet:
 

mnql1

Patron Meritorious
Here is a news report (subtitles added) that was broadcast in France on October 22, 2009, five days before the guilty verdict in Scientology's organized fraud trial was rendered on October 27. The subject is the May 2009 legislative change that deleted the provision which enabled France to dissolve a legal entity after two fraud convictions. The provision was subsequently reinstated, but could not be applied retroactively.

Modified French law saved Scientology from dissolution in 2009
Modified French law saved Scientology from dissolution in 2009
 

Royal Prince Xenu

Trust the Psi Corps.
It's amazing what a typo can do.

Here is a news report (subtitles added) that was broadcast in France on October 22, 2009, five days before the guilty verdict in Scientology's organized fraud trial was rendered on October 27. The subject is the May 2009 legislative change that deleted the provision which enabled France to dissolve a legal entity after two fraud convictions. The provision was subsequently reinstated, but could not be applied retroactively.

I'm not sure which state, but in the u.s. a similar "typo" occurred and legislation to name a highway after "Charles Mason" had to be scrapped at the last minute because someone noticed that if it went ahead it would have been named the "Charles Manson Highway".

RPX
 

secretiveoldfag

Silver Meritorious Patron
Re: Babblefish

The Church of Scientology, condemned by the French court in October 2009 with heavy fines but not prohibited from exercising, sued the State in court for "gross misconduct" after the requisition of the prosecution during the trial, did it announced today. On 27 October 2009, the Paris Criminal Court had sentenced the proselytizing practices of Scientology, while allowing the maintenance of its structures. At the trial held in June 2009, including the prosecution had requis of dissolution Celebrity Centre and its library, the two main French organizations of Scientology. But this solution was in fact inapplicable.

So, because of an obscure error by someone unknown, which was too convenient by half for CoS, the French found they couldn't after all force the dissolution of the Scientology organisation (but this is now again possible) but they did condemn "proselytizing practices". So does anyone know what exactly they are not allowed to do?

For an organisation that has been condemned and fined as a criminal organisation (that didn't change!) they might be wiser to keep a low profile. Pass the popcorn; I am enjoying this.
 
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 Cult of Greed is suing someone, that is like saying water is wet, I wouldn't exactly call the cult of Scientology practicing Hubbard's Standard Tech ... breaking news. This should be filed under Scientology/Standard Tech.
 

mnql1

Patron Meritorious
From Tony Ortega, The Underground Bunker, Friday, January 24, 2014: Jonny Jacobsen reports on the outcome of the litigation mentioned in the OP.

Scientology wins damages from French court, but it’s not the victory they were hoping for

Once again our man in Paris, Jonny Jacobsen, has another dispatch for us with late-breaking news. Take it away, Jonny…

Scientologists were celebrating this week after a French court awarded the movement damages for delays in the court case that ended in fraud convictions against the organisation last year.

The court acknowledged in part their complaint that the judicial process, in a case that stretches back to a complaint filed in December 1998, had at times been unacceptably slow.

But the sums involved are a far cry from the one million euros they were seeking. And the court rejected their most serious accusation: that the state had committed gross negligence (faute lourde) at the original trial.
More in the article :
http://tonyortega.org/2014/01/24/scientology-wins-damages-from-french-court-but-its-not-the-victory-they-were-hoping-for/
 

Albion

Patron with Honors
I've posted a more detailed version of the Paris case write-up at Infinite Complacency:

A French court has awarded Scientology damages for delays in the long legal battle
that ended in fraud convictions against it last year. But it's not quite the victory they were
hoping for.


My thanks, by the way, to Mnql1 at WWP for having tipped me off to this case, which I would
otherwise have missed. The French should declare him "une association d'utilité publique"!
 
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

well...

we don't know for sure how that fire started. maybe the christians were scapegoated or maybe some jackass christian did light it up...
 
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