http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8066743.stm
"The Church of Scientology is set to go on trial in France, accused of organised fraud.
The case centres on a complaint by a woman who says she was pressured into paying large sums of money after being offered a free personality test.
A lawyer for the church says it will fight the charges and deny that any mental manipulation took place.
France regards the organisation as a sect, and correspondents say it could be banned if it loses the case.
It will be the first time the church has appeared as a defendant in a fraud case in France. Previous court cases have involved individual Scientologists.
Books and medication
The woman at the centre of the case says she was approached by church members in Paris and offered a free personality test, but she ended up spending all her savings on books, medicines and the electronic metre that is part of the paraphernalia of Scientology.
Her lawyers will argue that the church systematically seeks to make money by means of mental pressure and the use of scientifically dubious "cures".
A lawyer for the church, Patrick Maisonneuve, told AFP news agency: "We will contest every charge and prove that there was no mental manipulation."
Scientologists called as witnesses by the defence are expected to argue that they espouse a belief system like any other.
Scientology was founded in the United States in the 1950s by science-fiction writer L Ron Hubbard.
In Germany last year, it was declared unconstitutional by government minister.
However, a Spanish court ruled that the Church of Scientology of Spain should be re-entered into the country's register of officially recognised religions. "
"The Church of Scientology is set to go on trial in France, accused of organised fraud.
The case centres on a complaint by a woman who says she was pressured into paying large sums of money after being offered a free personality test.
A lawyer for the church says it will fight the charges and deny that any mental manipulation took place.
France regards the organisation as a sect, and correspondents say it could be banned if it loses the case.
It will be the first time the church has appeared as a defendant in a fraud case in France. Previous court cases have involved individual Scientologists.
Books and medication
The woman at the centre of the case says she was approached by church members in Paris and offered a free personality test, but she ended up spending all her savings on books, medicines and the electronic metre that is part of the paraphernalia of Scientology.
Her lawyers will argue that the church systematically seeks to make money by means of mental pressure and the use of scientifically dubious "cures".
A lawyer for the church, Patrick Maisonneuve, told AFP news agency: "We will contest every charge and prove that there was no mental manipulation."
Scientologists called as witnesses by the defence are expected to argue that they espouse a belief system like any other.
Scientology was founded in the United States in the 1950s by science-fiction writer L Ron Hubbard.
In Germany last year, it was declared unconstitutional by government minister.
However, a Spanish court ruled that the Church of Scientology of Spain should be re-entered into the country's register of officially recognised religions. "
