From: jensting@imaginet.fr (Jens Tingleff) Subject: LYON TRIAL French press report 30/9 [Xenu] Date: 1996/09/30 Message-ID: organization: ARSCC Operation Clean the Planet newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology [Summary/piecemeal translation of article of the day in connection with the tril in Lyon of 23 clams. From Liberation, liberal/leftish French daily French original in single quotes. Comments/unclear points in square brackets. Apologies for my French, gotta get a dictionary one of these days...] La Scientologie devant les juges 'Scientologists before the judges' Bernard Fromentin Liberation 30/9 -96, page 16 Copyright 1996 Liberation [Picture from demo of 200 clams in Lyon on 23 july 1990. Frantic female clam holding sign declaring '.. - the spiritual response to the spage-age'] ================================================================== "The church of scientology is gambling its future in France on the trial in Lyon" states Daniele Gounord, national spokesperson who appears in support of 23 scientologists accused. The president of Scientology in Lyon, Jean-Jacques Mazier is to be tried for 'd'atteinte involontaire de la vie' [manslaughter, probably] after the suicide of a one of his newly adherents ['adeptes']. According to the results of the five-year investigation by judge Fenech, the accused are tried for fraud, attempted and accomplish to and breach of confidence. "The sect exploits prosaicaly for profit the good faith and credulity of its victims by pseudo-sceintific and para-medical means to the detriment of their financial interests ['interets patrimoniaux'] exposing them to certain medical-psychological risks" concludes the investigation ['requisitoire de renvoi']. 60 witnesses from France, Luxembourg and Denmark, examination of 15 bankaccounts in France and abroad will permit a dissection of the financial methods of the organisation. The trial would not have taken place without the insistence ['volontee'] of Nelly Vic who witnessed the suicide of her husband Patrice on 24th of March 1988. At the time, their children were three and eight years old. [Discussion of Patrice Vic's involvement - same as in article from L'Express posted earlier.] On the 28th of March, accompagnied by Jean-Jacques Mazier, he informed his wife that he'd decided to borrow 30000 FFR for the second stage of his induction into Scientology, a 'purification cure.' Six hours later, he entered his childrens' bedroom, opened the window and leapt to his death. The day after, Nelly Vic filed charges. The responsible of the church of Scientology answer also to charges of another current practice: charging of endebted adherents ['l'embauche d'adeptes surendettes'] and turning the money over to a bankaccount in Copenhagen. In this domain, establishment of the fact will permit a qualification of the "methods" where the real goal seems to "exclusively a commercial benefit" underlines the prosecution. The leaders of the sect understands full well that this approach to their activities could contribute to a demystification of an activity which they claim to be "religious" and "humanist." In Lyon, a pape printed in 100000 copies indicates their defence strategy:the sect wishes to present themselves as a "minority religion," victim of attempted persecution by the French state. ================================================================== Comments: This article leaves the reader in no doubt of the sympathies of the journalist ;-) Liberation is always like that ... The story of Patrice Vic is certainly very sad: his whole life became introverted, he dumped friends, job and family ties and finally leapt to his death on failure to find money for a purif rundown. There is no discussion of the *failure* of Patrice Vic to find the money for the purif rundown. In the AP article quoted on a.r.s. earlier, it was stated that he failed to borrow the money from his wife - nothing is said about that in this article. The very strong emphasis in the investigation on the money angle ought to be hugely effective in the trial. On the other hand, the idea of a "minority religion" which is being persecuted by the state may be a good defence - the government/justice system has been cracking down on minorities quite heavily. The French state is *very* secular (the president did not go to the mass held by the Pope during the recent visit) but the justice department has muddled the issues a little; head scarves for girls - desired by islamic parents - have been made illegal, opening the state to accusations of discrimination. Until more news (tomorrow, I fear ;-( ) Jens ------ No PGP signature, no authenticity. Vive La France!! ---------- Scientology[tm] ?? Check it out at http://www.scientology.org *and* http://www.cybercom.net/~rnewman/scientology/home.html Report interesting conclusions to alt.religion.scientology ;-)