Australie: un sénateur traite la scientologie «d'organisation criminelle»

En Australie, le sénateur indépendant Nick Xenophon accuse la scientologie d'être une «organisation criminelle» et demande qu'une enquête soit ouverte à propos de l'organisation. Extrait de la dépêche d'Australian Associated Press à ce sujet:

Independent senator Nick Xenophon has accused the Church of Scientology of being a criminal organisation.

The South Australian parliamentarian said he had been contacted by a number of former Scientologists, after he questioned the organisation's tax exempt status in a recent television interview.

"They have provided long and detailed letters to me about the workings of this organisation," he told the Senate.

"These people rightly see themselves as victims of Scientology."

Senator Xenophon said their correspondence implicated the organisation in a range of crimes, including forced imprisonment, coerced abortions, embezzlement of church funds, physical violence, intimidation and blackmail.

"I am deeply concerned about this organisation and the devastating impact it can have on its followers," he said.

(...)

Senator Xenophon said many names had been erased from the letters he had tabled in Parliament.

"But those names haven't been removed from copies I am providing to the police," he told the Senate.

"This organisation must be investigated."

La dépêche est disponible ici. La transcription du discours du sénateur Xenophon est disponible ici.

De la fin des années 1960 au début des années 1970, la scientologie avait été banni de trois des cinq États australiens suite aux conclusions d'un célèbre rapport de parlementaire sur les dangers de la secte, le rapport Anderson.