Here is a Belgian television report in French with English subtitles added. The original report aired on December 28, 2012 on the RTBF network. Source: Des poursuites contre la scientologie Transcript: RTBF December 28, 2012 Anchorman: The Church of Scientology is facing prosecution. The Belgian branch of this organization, which is considered sectarian in Belgium, has been criminally indicted. The church is accused of fraud and the illegal practice of medicine. It is explicitly suspected of being a criminal organization. Quentin Warlop reports. Journalist (Quentin Warlop): The Church of Scientology of Belgium is now facing judicial prosecution following an investigation concerning the Belgian branch of this American organization and two of its\Ntop officials. The accusations are clear: Illegal practice of the art of healing, fraud, extortion, forgery and use of false documents, breach of privacy, and being a criminal organization. In reality, all began in 2008. A complaint was filed. Judge Michel Claise headed the investigation, and raids were conducted in April 2008. The complaint alleged that the Church of Scientology offered false employment contracts. At that time, Chadia was unemployed\Nand was searching for a job. She answered a want ad, convinced that it was for a paying job. She was soon disillusioned. Want ad: "Non-profit association seeks admin assistant; training provided, no experience required. Chadia Moussaoui They talked instead about becoming a member, adopting their way of seeing things, etc. I can't repeat it by heart. I read it in 30 seconds. Instead, it was a contract, I read: "from 2 and a half to 5 years" for becoming a member of the Church of Scientology. Journalist: The accusations are specific. But the Church of Scientology's European office is projecting an image of serenity. Agnès Bron: Attacks against religion have existed for a very, very long time, except that they used to cast us into the lions' den. Today, they haul us into courts of law. That's the only difference. Journalist: Except that Scientology is not\Nconsidered a religion in Belgium and remains a controversial organization in this country. Alain Stoffen knows it well. He is a piano teacher who used to be a Scientologist, but he now denounces its methods. Alain Stoffen: I was invited to Copenhagen for counseling that would guarantee the growth of my creativity. Without my realizing it, I underwent a process of depersonalization and destructuring that, as I wrote in my book, turned me into a consenting victim of my own mental rape. When I left for Copenhagen, I was doing really well. I was in top shape. When I returned 5 weeks later, I was completely destroyed. Journalist: In March 2013, the case will be introduced before the Council Chamber. The prosecutor's office is seeking to have the persons indicted in this case tried in a correctional court.
Just posted a report at Infinite Complacency. Thanks once again to mnql1 for the invaluable media trawl. Federal prosecutors in Belgium have charged Scientology's Belgian operation and two leading executives with fraud and extortion among other offences. And it looks like they have learned from the Paris convictions. Jonny Jacobsen
The year's not over yet, and the time between xmas and new years frequently drops prime journalism loot!
https://whyweprotest.net/community/members/david-miscavige.7435/ Lost Yeh password again? Bit more on topic: If this money regulating pawn goes down and we get to see/find some documents, can we focus on the Narconon <-> Certain companies money?
The judge who investigated this case, Michel Claise, specializes in white collar crime. Born in 1956, Michel Claise was a lawyer for twenty years, and he is also the author of six novels: Salle des pas perdus, 2006 Faux et usages de faux, 2008 Le forain, 2008 Les années paix, 2010 Souvenirs du rif, 2011 Larmes du crime, 2011 His first novel, Salle des pas perdus ("The Concourse", was published in 2006 and is about Belgium during World War II. In 2010, he published a sequel set in post-war era Belgium, Les années paix ("The Peace Years". His 2008 novel Le forain ("The Carny" exposes various fraud schemes and depicts the daily realities of a police fraud squad saddled with a lack of resources. Descriptions of this detective thriller say that it successfully underscores the scope of financial fraud and the lack of general awareness about its dramatic impact on society. References: http://www.brunette.brucity.be/bib/bibp1/cdm Claise Michel.pdf http://www.droit.ulg.ac.be/upload/docs/application/pdf/2010-11/engag_ld_1bd.pdf http://www.wilquin.com/2010/01/michel-claise-salle-des-pas-perdus/
According to Hubbard, he "has crimes that would stand a magistrate's hair on end". Oops, he is a magistrate. Never mind.
Obviously the above judge is biased against Scientology. Obama needs to remind Belgium of this and threaten to withhold their loans.
Have updated the piece at Infinite Complacency with a reply I received from Arnaud Palisson to my email asking him which case he offered advice on.
Translation of a French article posted on December 29, 2012 on the website of La Libre Belgique: L’étau se resserre sur la Scientologie
Can we have an avatar change to show support of Belgium for a bit? I am so very tired of the current one anyways
I'd like to suggest the Muscles from Brussels as avatar. View attachment jeanclaudevandamme.jpg?width=460.jpg
Roland, I seem to remember something about the Tottenham Ct. org distributing vitamins and being required to have a food service area or something?
well, they should be criminally charged with supplying vitamins so strong that only a pharmacist acting on a doctors prescription is allowed to supply them. (Like in France.) As for the vitamins being food, that's a diversion, IMHO, even if english laws are wonky enough to make that the only plausible attack vector
Translation of a French article posted on December 29, 2012 on the RTL television website: Poursuivie par le parquet, l'Eglise de Scientologie est "indignée"
I hope Belgium shares it's investigation and findings with other governments . I am not a tweeter, has anyone tweeted this info yet?
In the paper De Standaard Belgian COS responds with the yadayada one could have expected: http://www.standaard.be/artikel/detail.aspx?artikelid=DMF20121229_00417471
