Moscow Court Outlaws Ron Hubbard’s Writings

By Milena Faustova

Undaunted by judicial setbacks and complaints to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that Russia tramples the freedom of religion, Russian anti-cult activists have continued their campaign to outlaw the writings of the Church of Scientology founder Lafayette Ronald Hubbard.

In 2010, the High Court of the Siberian region of Khanty-Mansy, and earlier this month, the High Court of the Republic of Tatarstan overturned decisions by lower courts to outlaw Hubbard’s books. But in the latest twist to the saga, the High Court of the region of Moscow has upheld a similar decision by a lower court. It ruled that Hubbard’s books contain instructions to build a mind-controlling cult, which would set its members against every other social institution including the state. As soon as the ruling takes effect, these books will join the federal index of outlawed literature. This means that Russia will finally join Germany and France in classifying the scientologist propaganda material as extremist and unconstitutional.

Law expert of the Russian Anti-Cult Association Dr Alexander Korelev describes the development as very welcome and timely.

He was speaking in an interview with The Voice of Russia: “Hubbard’s books form the ideological arsenal of one of the most virulent mind-controlling cults that continue to operate in the Russian Federation. This cult uses brainwashing techniques to drive the members insane and rob them of their property. It is absolutely destructive, and its ideology must be outlawed. Accordingly, all Hubbard’s books must be out of circulation.”