Spain's criminal trial of Scientology president

15 Scientologists on Trial in Spain

Agence France Presse/February 8, 2001

Madrid -- Fifteen Scientologists went on trial in Madrid today on charges ranging from illegal detention to tax fraud, but the United States-based international president of the movement, Heber Jentzsch,failed to show up.

The prosecution has called for jail terms of between three months and eight years for the 15 Spanish defendants, who face charges including the illegal detention of an individual, causing actual bodily harm, threats and tax fraud.

The prosecutor has called for a 56-year prison sentence for Mr. Jentzsch.