Operation Clambake present:
Greek justice shuts Scientology down
The following are some parts from the court verdict of the
7/10/1996 trial "Attiki Prefecture vs KEPHE" (KEPHE is the Scientology
Mission in Greece). The number of the verdict is 7380/1996 and the charges
were mainly that KEPHE violated its statutes by exercising for-profit
activities, possing social and health risk. This is only one aspect of the
charges. There are inquiries in progress even for espionage. This is the
first verdict. KEPHE will probably appeal the case, but it is not clear if
their appeal will certainly postpone the execution of the verdict or if it
will remain closed until then. When they appeal, it will be clear.
I translated some hot parts not in a strict legal form. A more
detailed (and perhaps official) translation will be anticipated. The text
covers 22 pages, written on both sides ( = there are 11 sheets of paper).
My notes are within [ and ].
The verdict characterizes KEPHE as "... an organization with totalitarian
structures and trends, which essentially despises man, acts freely "in
phenomenon" in order to attract members, who are then subjected (with all
the above mentioned processes and theories) into a brain wash, aiming at
the creation of directable way of thinking and minimizing objections
(basic positions of the Scientology founder's theories), so that we are
standing in front of beings with no personal will, who have lost the
capacity of making decisions as products of their free will, since they
have passed through the propaganda filters of Scientology and the suitable
processing, become susceptible to the "truths" it applies, without having
motives to examine and evaluate".
OTHER EXCERPTS:
================================
Pages 4a and 4b
================================
During the operation of KEPHE, it was determined that its goals are
irrelevant to the ones mentioned in its statutes [= to promote the
educational and philosophical principles of DIANETICS and SCIENTOLOGY]
and especially through a large number of documents that were found in
KEPHE offices (200 Patission str) following a Prosecutor's investigation,
which are mentioned in the Report of the Committee that conducted the
administrative investigation [it means the Prefecture's Committee], it was
discovered that KEPHE is branch of the international (with centres in
Denmark, Copenhagen and America, Los Angeles) "Scientology" organization.
In some countries, this organization presents itself as religion (CHURCH
OF SCIETOLOGY in Greece however as Centre of Applied Philosophy - KEPHE).
There is no, as results from foreign Court decisions and Press articles, a
presentation of Scientology in the world with uniform directions and
similar goals. It sometimes appears under the cover of religious movement
in order to receive constitutional protection and enjoy the advantages of
"religion" such as tax and currency easing.
The "Centre of Applied Philosophy" operates under the cover of philosophic
Association, it does not have religious character (as its BoD President
stated in the 8.6.95 document to the Holy Synod of the [Orthodox] Church of
================================
Pages 5a and 5b
================================
Greece, signed by the then BoD President, mentioning that it is not a
religion. However, since 1995 it arbitrarily and in a way contrary to the
public morals, started declaring that it is a religion, in order to
present itself persecuted because of its members' religious beliefs".
====================
9a & 9b
====================
The issue of "Persecution" is covered in pages 9a and 9b. The Verdict
mentions:
"As a result of the above, it can not invoke violation of rights,
on one hand violation of religious freedom rights, because based on its
statutes it presents itself as a Philosophic Association and on the other
hand violation of freedom of expression, besause their protection is under
the restriction of not offending the rights of others (articles 17 and 19
parag. 2 ESDA), ethics, health, public order, which it primarily offended,
through its activity and operation with practices which are medically,
socially and moraly dangerous and harmfull. Finally, the Association has
deviated into prohibited for-profit activity".
====================
5b
====================
ETHICS, JUSTICE, DEAD AGENTING, FREEDOM OF MAN
"Ethic and just for Scientology is what contributes to the
expansion and dissemination of its theories and anything not against it.
Any reaction or opposition is faced as potential trouble source pending
for handling. The policy of "Dead Agenting" is activated against anything
negative for Scientology, which means corroding reputation and attacking
to bend reactions.
Anyone leaving the Association is facing its persistent calls to return as
is the case of Stylianos Mystakidis, on the other hand are characterized
as "enemies", being in a "state of treason".
The theory, as presented above, the Association is supporting and the
practice it follows, lifts any concept of freedom of the individual, free
expression and opinion and eventually even the constitutionaly guarranted
====================
6a
====================
freedom of associating (article 12), which also contains the negative
right of associating, that is the right of not participating in an
Association, exercising pressure to the members leaving it in order to
return and are faced as "enemies".
The Association approaches the candidate member, especially young people
with sensitivities, in order to join it without objections, because
individuals - such as Markos Kapiris and Anthony Bosnakoudis - who
expressed doubts and questions for the Association's activity, were driven
out as unwanted, the latter because of his journalist identity. It
promises jobs and solutio of problems".
====================
6b
====================
"Then the members sign contracts for working without pay or
insurance for five years, some of them are sent abroad (especially Denmark)
for further training".
====================
7a
====================
"Questions are asked for the explicitly personal life of the
individual and his/her close enviroment and files are kept for these data,
which the individual cannot see, because KEPHE claims this may have
negative impact for his/her progress".
========================
10a &10b
========================
"It results, from the above, that the Association is exercising
financial/for-profit business and depending on its interests, keeping
cover either its characteristic of philosophic association or a religious
identity.
It is not an independent organization, but is under a strict hierarcial
structure of international level, under the control and supervision of
foreign organizations and centres, something that contradicts the country's
public order (Civil Code Article 33)".
=====================
11a
=====================
"The Association is eventually an economic commercial bussiness
under cover, exercised in sectors of services in the psychotherapy market,
with communication seminars, purification processes, etc, as were
presented before, it conducts work of collecting and managerial nature,
which are commercial for-profit actions, prohibited for a non profit
philosophic association".
======================
11b
======================
"FOR THESE REASONS
.......
.......
.......
Orders the dissolution/liquidation [I am not sure of the exact
term] of the Association with the name "CENTRE OF APPLIED PHILOSOPHY",
based in Athens (200 Patission str.)".
The verdict was issued on December 20, 1995 but was not made known
because of the Christmas and New Year recess and there were the usual
bureaucratic functions to follow for having it officially available to
those with legal interest in the case (Prefecture, parents, etc).
The first copy was given on January 17, 1997. This event has
special significance. The Orthodox Church celebrates the memory of
Saint Anthony on January 17 and someone cannot avoid linking these facts
to the late father Anthony Alevizopoulos, who was the leading figure of
the anti Scientology campaign in Greece and attracted the Dead Agenting
rage of Scientology. Someone commented when looking at the date seal of
the verdict copy "Even if he passed away, they didn't escape from him.
He sealed the Verdict".