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Church attacks new French anti-cult law

Title: Church attacks new French anti-cult law
Date: Friday, 23 June 2000
Publisher: The Guardian (UK)
Author: Jon Henley
Main source: guardian.co.uk

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The French parliament yesterday adopted Europe's toughest anti-sect legislation yet, creating a controversial new crime of "mental manipulation" punishable by a maximum fine of £50,000 and five years imprisonment. The move was applauded by Alain Vivien, head of a government committee that has identified 173 dangerous quasi-religious groups in France, but was denounced by both the Church of Scientology and the Unification Church as fascist, anti-democratic and in breach of basic human rights laws. Current French law, described as "inadequate to ... [Read the rest at guardian.co.uk]