Russian court bans Scientology literature
Russia has decided to ban books and recordings by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.
The Hubbard books have been found by a Russian court to be extremist.
The distribution ban involves 28 books and video discs containing lectures by Hubbard, a US science fiction author who founded Scientology in 1954.
While the Church of Scientology is regarded in some countries as a church, or legitimate faith, in others it is thought to be a cult which tempts its members to part with large sums of money.
In Russia some texts by Jehovah's Witnesses are also banned.
Prosecutors in Russia had urged the court to ban the Hubbard material, saying it contained calls to commit crimes motivated by religious hatred; in particular against critics of Scientology.
The Church of Scientology has called the Russian court decision as a mistake caused by misunderstanding.
Russia has in the past been fined by the European Court of Human Rights for refusing to register Scientology as a religious entity.
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