Scientology in France

In 1978, L. Ron Hubbard was convicted in absentia by French authorities of engaging in fraud, fined 35,000 French Francs and sentenced to four years in prison.^[2] The head of the French Church of Scientology was convicted at the same trial and given a suspended one-year prison sentence.^[3]

Since 1995, France has classified the Scientology as a sect (or cult) as seen in the report of the National Assembly of France.^[4] On this basis, a hostile stance is generally taken against the organization.^[5][6] A 1999 government inquiry committee reporting on the financial aspect of sects^[7] recommended dissolving the Church of Scientology because of swindling, complicity of swindling, abuse of trust, and other nefarious activities. A government report in 2000 categorized the church as an "absolute sect" and recommended that all its activities be prohibited.^[8] The keeping of files containing personal information on all its members (and other practices), are seen to qualify the Church as a totalitarian sect, moreover "extremely dangerous".^[9] The report rejected U.S. criticism of the French government's hostility towards Scientology, saying that Washington's protection of sects was "exorbitant".^[9]

In 2005 the city of Paris passed an official resolution so that unlike in Marseille, celebrity Scientologist Tom Cruise would never be made an honorary citizen, specifically because of his affiliation with Scientology.^[10]

The 2006 riots in France came in the midst of a parliamentary commission in charge of examining the influence of sects, particularly on youth, which started its hearings on July 12 2006 and was scheduled to be completed in December that year.^[11] The government sects watchdog (MIVILUDES) subsequently warned that sects were infiltrating the suburbs, increasingly offering aid as a cover for their activities, notably so in a Church of Scientology's communique that "appeared to be taking the credit for calming the situation in one of the riot-hit suburbs."^[12]

Against general public opinion and while he was Finance Minister, current president Sarkozy had received Tom Cruise in Paris in 2004. He is now preparing to change the 1905 law that defines status for the non-profit associations, still against the essential French concept of separation between state and church, which will allow sects to receive money from the state.