The Scientology Association had argued before the appeal judge that the fact that the prosecution had demanded its dissolution in a trial in 2009 was not only illegal, but constituted an offence for which the State should be condemned. The Paris Court of Appeal had upheld it by saying: "... that this characteristic deficiency of the public prosecutor's office, even if the court, making an exact application of the law in force did not pronounce the dissolution of the Spiritual Association of the Church of Scientology Celebrity Center, characterizes the deficiency of the public service of justice to fulfil the mission of which it is invested."
The state had also been found guilty of miscarriage of justice for violating the right of the Association and some of its members to receive justice within a reasonable delay.
Dissatisfied with the outcome, it was this decision which the State had intended to challenge before the Court of Cassation. The latter issued its decision in a judgment of 22 March 2017 confirming in all respects the decision of the Court of Appeal and holding that the State was inadmissible to challenge its content.
This is the second decision of the French Court of Cassation in favour of the Church of Scientology since the beginning of the year. Indeed, on January 12, the highest judicial body in the country had already confirmed the condemnation of the association UNADFI (Union of Associations of Defense of the Families and the Individual) that had illegally and in bad faith presented itself as a victim in the same case (2009), a criminal proceeding which was thus marked by a "proven deficiency of the public prosecutor's office" and a single pretended victim who "acted in bad faith and abused its right to act in justice".
The Scientology religion has been practiced in France since the 1950s, and its churches have tens of thousands of faithful in the hexagon and millions in the world. If France does not recognize or subsidize any religion, it guarantees their free exercise. Around France, the Scientology religion is a recognized religion in the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Holland, Sweden, by the German courts, etc., and the Church's humanitarian programs affect dozens of millions of people in the world every year. For more information, please visit www.scientologyreligion.fr.
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