Scientology is now a criminal organisation in Belgium

The chance is real that several leading figures in the Church of Scientology in Belgium could be issued with court summonses. The Federal Judicial Authorities plan to prosecute the church for being a criminal organisation that has defrauded its members.

The judicial authorities opened their investigation into the Scientology movement in Belgium back in 1997, after having received tip-offs from ex-members of the church.


All aspects of the Scientology Church's practises were gone through with a fine tooth comb. Now the ten-year investigation has come to a close. A total of twelve people all from the Belgian branch of the Church of Scientology or from the organisation's European Bureau stand accused of a list of offences. Those accused are all high up in the Church's hierarchy.

They are accused of having formed a criminal organisation, blackmail, deception, unfair trading, and practising medicine illegally and having broken Belgium's privacy laws.

If the court now follows the public prosecutor's lead, this will be a world first. In some countries like the United States, the Church of Scientology has official recognition. At no time has the Church faced a prosecution of this kind from a country's legal authorities.

The Church of Scientology offers its followers pricy courses to allow them to develop their spiritual skills. Critics speak of "brainwashing". The organisation counters criticism by pointing to its high profile followers like Tom Cruise and John Travolta.