Russia Bans Scientology Books as Extremism

Russia is in the process of banning books that they consider extreme. According to a Moscow news release, this book banning will include works by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. The Church of Scientology writings by Hubbard will be added to the country's list of extremist literature.

Those who are found in possession of the banned books and literature can be fined 3,000 rubles ($100 US) and/or jailed for up to 15 days. Those who have been convicted of other crimes face harsher punishments.

According to the news release, a statement from the Prosecutor General's Office says the literature is being banned for "undermining the traditional spiritual values of the citizens of the Russian Federation." A study done by psychiatrists, psychologists and sociologists determined that the extreme material should not be distributed in Russia. This was determined after the study of 28 individual books, audio files and video recordings by L. Ron Hubbard were intercepted by Prosecutors. The books, files and recordings were sent to residents of Surgut from the United States.

A full list of the works to be banned is not available currently but according the Prosecutor General's Office statement both L. Ron Hubbard books, "The Factors, Admiration & Renaissance of Beingness" (Lectures 1-18) and "The Unification Congress. Communication! Freedom and Abililty" (Lectures 1-16), are among the books being banned for distribution in Russia.

Russia has had a history of banning books. Leo Tolstoy's The Kingdom of God is Within You was banned in Russia for being anti-establishment. William Gray's Dick and Jane was banned in Soviet Russia because it was considered Pro-American. Other books which Russia has banned include Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak (Banned in the USSR until 1988), The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (ban lifted in 2009 by the Education Ministry of Russia and is now included in educational curriculums for high school students), 1984 by George Orwell (banned in the Soviet Union in 1950, under consideration of banning by the USA and UK in the early 1960s, legalized by the USSR in 1990 after it was edited), and One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenityn (banned from publication in 1964).

The banning of the Church of Scientology books by L. Ron Hubbard is being highly criticized by the Scientology spokeswoman Karin Pouw. In a statement to Yahoo!News she is quoted as saying, "The ban constitutes the latest action in an ongoing campaign by extremists in the Russian government to suppress religious freedom in Russia." The panel of -ologist's who determined the books should be banned argue against the criticism saying that Scientology justifies violence against critics of the church and contains "hidden calls for social and religious hatred."

Sources:
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/scientology-writings-banned-as-extremist/404475.html

http://genproc.gov.ru/news/news-11797/

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/ynews_ts1748

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_books_banned_by_governments#cite_note-22