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>From "Le Matin" - Lauzanne, thursday March 19, 1998
from "24 hours, dec 92
same article in french here
Four other article from various newspapers
Four scientology leaders have been charged in Genève. A victory for
Jean-Luc BARBIER, the ex-initiate who sues them. Though, he's living in
fear.
Genève, Pascale Blort
********
For Jean Luc Barbier, an ex high initiate from scientology, this is a
victory. Four leaders of the "church" have been charged for fraud,
extortion, constraint and usury, following a complaint he deposed in
1993. This also a first in Switzerland: never a so-highly placed adept
had struggled back against that tentacular group. To-day, the folder is
between hands of the General Prosecutor, after a three and half years
long investigation. The suit should be in Court (Cour correctionnelle)
before the end of the year. While Jean-Luc Barbier , who suffered from
continuing pressures since he got out from scientology is living in
fear.
- -The more we are near the suit, the more the pressure. I get anonym
phone calls, threatening letters, I'm in danger for life! I became
really paranoïd, but my paranoïa is based on something.
- Then, why do you speak unanonymously?
- It is the only way to guarantee my protection. If something happens,
one will know that is not hazard.
-Four leaders of scientology have been sued; is it a victory for
you?
- Yes; i believed we could never get that done. The investigation was
more than three years long, I 've been living in incredible stress. The
scientologists did not cease to depose motions against the judges,
asking and re-asking nex hearings. But the Judge Wenger has done a
fabulous job
.
-Four years elapsed between your abandon of scientology and your
complaint. Why?
-When I abandoned, I asked the 120000 FS (80000$) refund, for the
courses I had spent in scientology. Which was refused . Then, I have had
difficulties to find an attorney accepting to defend my cause.
- Do you do that for money?
- NO! To-day I'm on unemployement; i get money from the society and
I
think that in exchange, I must to give that service.: struggling against
scientology. With that suit, we'll have an inner analysis, that should
allow the State, if it wants - to take some measures against some of the
practices, between those, the illegal medical practices....[ some few
illegible words ]
Jean Luc Barbier, an ex-jazz-musician , also a founder of the AMR [association musicale de recherche] in Genève,
came into Scientologhy in 1979. He remained there for ten
years, climbing slowly the steps to "knowledge". "I was an initiate of
the confidential levels, " does he say.
He leaves in 1989: "They wanted to convince me I was inhabited by
devils. I then realized that everything was only a fraud". The first
doubts came in 1984, after a "purification's cure". But they held me
then, says Jean-Luc Barbier. Then, I had a design's school : scientology
had helped me to find the financing."
The "I accuse" of Jean-Luc Barbier:
"Scientology poisoned me! They took my health by imposing me high
dosages of vitamins: they forbid me to be cured. They also destroyed my
company, because i refused to affiliate it to the WISE scientologist
network".
Need for support:
I am incredibly alone, does he say; In Switzerland, there is no
structure to help those like me. We are not recognized a victim's
status. The only group where i received support is Genève, the GPFI
(Group for protecting the Family and Individual) and Justice, who
accepted to take my complaint seriously. It would be of much help for me
to receive some messages on my e-mail:<jbarbier@caramail.com>
Soon to be: more on this (the pre-ruling alleging the charges)
Swiss Scientology Report
From: "Basler Zeitung"
September 1, 1998
picture b1
(from left to right)
Federal Police Chief Urs von Daeniken,
KSK President Andreas Huber and sect
specialist Jean-François Mayer
yesterday at the presentation of the
Scientology report
Foto Ruben Sprich/Reuters
Scientology: totalitarian, but not a target of state security
by Daniel Gerny
The massacre at Waco or the mass suicides of the Solar
Templers are examples of sect episodes which have made
headlines. In 1996, an ad hoc work group was
commissioned in which Scientology was categorized as
particularly dangerous. The report has now been presented
- and downplays the dangers for the state.
Berne. In Basel, the Scientologists, as it appears on some
Saturday afternoons, are omnipresent: the sect aggressively
recruits new members on Barfuesser Place and elsewhere with
the help of so-called "personality tests." Several passers-by are
annoyed by acquisition methods of this sort so that they want to
proceed against Scientology with the help of the legislature: there
is currently a proposed law on the floor in the canton of Basel
City which would prohibit importunate recruitment methods - so
far, this type of proposal is one of a kind in Switzerland.
Are the Scientologists a danger for state and society? Should the
political police take the sect into their purview? A federal work
group under the direction of Urs von Daeniken, Chief of the
Federal Police researched this issue, and came to the following
conclusion: "That there are no tangible references at hand which
show that Scientology is trying to intrude into the Swiss state
structure speaks for the postponement of preventive police
surveillance." Nevertheless numerous members are under
enormous pressure to attain new services, devices and books,
and the organization exhibits a totalitarian structure, but "the
authorities and consumer protection agencies will devote their
attention to these aspects; they do not fall with the in the the legal
purview of the state security organ."
The approximately 130 page report contains large sections of
previously known observations about the existence and structure
of the sect as well as about the founder, Ron Hubbard, but few
precise numbers or statements about the spread of Scientology in
Switzerland. That has to do with the fact that the report is based
on publicly available sources and the work group had no special
investigative police authority. The number of active Scientologists,
it said, was placed by most sources, at "under 4,000" because it
was not possible "to come up with an exact figure." In any case,
the organization does not find itself in an upswing at the moment.
In Basel, the growth appears "not to correspond with the
expectations of Scientology." Also, the presence of Scientology
has not changed measurably in the course of the past few years.
More recent literature from Scientology also exists in Switzerland
which proves the intention to take over control of society. An
excerpt from a Scientology document states, "Switzerland is the
first cleared country on this planet. Switzerland is the country in
which Scientology and LRH technology can bloom and thrive in
all areas of life." The work group, under the direction of Urs von
Daeniken judged these kind of documents to contain little threat.
The report stated, "In Scientology, the ideal of a [here and now]
cleared nation appears to belong more to a repertoire of themes
to promote enthusiasm.
The fact that Scientology operates using intelligence service
methods was the source of most concern. Even though public
proof was missing in this area, observations by various people
who were questioned led to the conclusion that Scientology was
conducting operations "of a continuing nature to inform
themselves of their environment." In that manner, the organization
proceeds as an intelligence service.
Nevertheless, the activities never reached "the point of an actual
strategy for the takeover of power," but were more of a means for
self-defense by the use of ideologically colored precepts. In any
case, that is still not acceptable, but is not enough to have the sect
put under surveillance by the political police. It can be presumed
from various statements at the press conference yesterday that the
'fiche' affair was also cause for a certain amount of reservation in
this area [an affair which symbolizes to the Swiss people the error
of putting citizens under surveillance].
The work group and the Consulting State Security Commission
(KSK) still recommended that the situation be re-evaluated after
a certain period of time based on publicly accessible information,
especially the observations of other European nations.
Besides that, an observation center should be commissioned at an
institute of higher learning to gather information about the
development of sects in Switzerland.
Daniel Gerny
-------------------------------------------------------------
"Interesting Development"
Basel. vks. The report "Scientology in Switzerland" described
the efforts of the Canton of Basel City in regard to sects as an
"interesting development." In July, the Basel administration was
able to make a new proposal: at a media conference, which
aroused a great deal of interest, Justice Minister Hans Martin
Tschudi presented proposed legislation meant to close the door
on the controversial recruitment methods of Scientology and
similar organizations. The proposed resolution would entail a
change to the criminal code (see BaZ of July 10).
It is proposed that punishment be an option for "anyone who
harasses passers-by on public land by importunate methods of
recruitment." The police would have the authority "to generally
direct recruiters away from individual locations if their contact
with passers-by presents an obtrusive annoyance, or if there are
signs that the recruitment is illicit, in particular if deceptive or
otherwise vile methods are being used." As easy as the wording
of the proposed legislation is to read, there is no mention of the
word "Scientology." The legislation is, nevertheless, aimed
primarily at this organization. The new Basel law against sect
recruitment, which is scheduled to go before the September
session of the Greater Assembly (Sept. 9 and 16), goes back to
1996 and a proposal by the Social Democrat, Susanne Haller.
The motion was signed by no less than 70 members of all parties
in Parliament, which is an indication that the proposal may be well
received in the Greater Assembly.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
picture b2
Hugo Stamm
Sect Specialist Hugo Stamm:
"The Influence is enormous"
The BaZ [this newspaper] spoke with Hugo Stamm, sect
expert and editor at the "Tages-Anzeiger." He says it is
right that the federal police are not being used on
Scientology.
BaZ: Mr. Stamm, what do you think of the Scientology report?
Hugo Stamm: On the positive side: the federal government has
made a decision as to how to deal with sects, and Scientology
exhibits a totalitarian tendency and uses intelligence agency
methods. These signals have previously been absent. However,
the report, in all, has too moderate of an effect and does not do
justice to the actual menace.
How dangerous do you think Scientology is?
The real danger is actually not very high. This is not because the
authorities are undertaking anything, but because the media points
out and explains where Scientology tries to gain influence.
However, the potential for danger is gigantic: Scientology derides
democracy, draws their adherents into dependency, and wants to
spread their totalitarian system upon the world. Scientology is
striving for total power, and if that would not have been
recognized in a timely manner, their area of influence would today
be gigantic. The authorities failed to get this point across.
What needs to be done now?
I am not for setting the federal police on Scientology. Existing,
legal alternatives must be used to restrict the radius of operation
for Scientology. Health law would offer a way of dealing with
Scientology when they distribute vitamin B preparations for the
"purification rundown" or when they endanger the mental or
bodily health of their members in other ways. Besides that, the
operating and sales methods of Scientology have to be examined
for violations of the UWG.
What do you think of the law which is being worked up in Basel?
It is urgently necessary and right. Scientology must be prevented
from taking in pedestrians with questionable tricks or sales
speeches. The long road this law has taken also shows how
difficult it is for the authorities to do this.
And how are things going for Scientology world wide?
Scientology is stagnating in regards to number of members. What
is decisive, however, is the huge financial power which stands
behind the organization. Because of that, their influence is
enormous.
Does this group show the most threat?
The deciding factor for me is what happens with the members.
That is where Scientology has the most absolute and dangerous
system. Nevertheless, members of other groups can also
experience serious dependency or a change of personal
judgment. For this reason, focusing only upon Scientology is, in
my eyes, a delicate matter.
Three Scientologists sentenced for fraud and usury
(c 24 heures, switzerland, 1998)
Quittant son psy pour rentrer dans l'Eglise, un quadragénaire avait versé
20.000 francs. A-t-on profité de son état ?
"How much does that cost?" was a question often used by Marianne FABAREZ yesterday to the 3 scientologists
judged before the Tribunal Correctionnel of Lausanne, under fraud and usury indictment. Just aside, the little
papers used by the Court's president, a small computing machine was necsessary. 12 hours "religious"
counselling? 4500$. The "Up and Downs" course? 45 $. E-meter to figure out the emotional charges of a
person? 3500 $. The pack to become a "church minister" after some years training? some 15000 $. Without
speaking of the Hubbard encyclopedia, 3000 $. Everything must be paid here. For some, the way to happiness is something
like a calvary.
Psychologically weak
A scientologist since 1985, Isis was one of the witnesses heard yesterday. She spent some 75000 $ during that
period. She does not regret it at all. Veronique invested according to her financial possibilities. Should it be
to be done again, she would not hesitate: "... the welfare it gave me can't be valued".
Have those 3 scientologist profited of the psychologicla weakness of a man to get 15000 $ from him? That's what
the Court should have to answer.
When he came into the scientology church in Lausanne on Feb 18th, 1992, Pierre was according to him, "having
weaknesses of mind". He was fantasizing onto being the servant of some black and beaten prostitute, thought
that scienos had telepathy powers and that they would connect with that prostitute to get her out of her life.
Pierre, who was under a psychiatric treatment since 1985, had just stopped it as one of the accused scientologists
influenced him to do so.
The scientologists say that nobody could have supposed Pierre's mental state. He would, they say, have wished
to become a "minister"; asked many questions, came often on courses. He paid for those with a 15000 $
loan. "I did not realize, he says, the value of this.
Finally, scientologists said he was a "heavy psychotic case", and on april 92 end, they made him sign
a document in which he was accepting not to come back in the church, and to receive his "donation" back.
Surprising enough for the Court, Pierre said he was not agreeing to get this money back, as he "wished
to come back in the church, then". A week later, he was found erring and lost, into Kloten airport.
He was sent back to psychiatrists.
A year after the criminal complaint , scientologists refunded him: Pierre stopped his complaint then. But the
Justice machine kept on its trail.
24Heures du 01.12.98
Michelle Lebrun
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