Scientology Australia accused of torture/forced abortions

Unhappy Scientology: Last month a French court convicted the Church of Scientology of fraud and fined it almost a million dollars. This week the Australian government is responding to the complaints of former members Down Under.

Australian Senator Nick Xenophon used parliamentary privilege to raise allegations of criminal misconduct and called of an examination of the Church of Scientology’s right to tax-exempt status, reported news.com.au.

BBC reported:

The Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, has said he will consider calls for a parliamentary inquiry into the Church of Scientology.

Church of Scientology Australia president Reverend Vicki Dunstan responded:

The alleged incidents voiced in the Senate on Tuesday came from disgruntled former members with their own agendas to put forward and were used by Senator Xenophon for “his own political aspirations.”

Reports of and inquiries into serious incidents associated with the church date at least to 1965. Charges of coerced abortions lodged by former members are not isolated to Australia.

Events in Australia have taken on new urgency in part as a result of the efforts of anonymous (anonaustralia}, whose February protests there attracted wide attention there and online.

With pressure rising Down Under, the Australians are likely to go French on this and impose sanctions.