Russian State Duma Kicks Scientologists out of Parliamentary Building

MosNews/December 7, 2004

State Duma deputies dispersed an exhibit organized by the Church of Scientology in Russia's central parliamentary building on Tuesday.

The exhibit, entitled "Law, Society and Psychiatry," was organized in the parliamentary building in Moscow by the Russian branch of the Citizen's Commission on Human Rights, a group set up in the United States by the Church of Scientology.

The exhibit was only on display for 25 minutes before it was broken up by angry Duma deputies, the Interfax news agency reported.

Initially, the exhibit was approved by a Duma committee on civil legislation, as the Citizen's Commission does not advertise itself as a Church of Scientology branch.

The church, which speaks out against the use of traditional psychiatry, is widely seen as a cult in Russia.

The Health Ministry ordered Scientologists, reportedly counseling victims of a September hostage-taking, out of Beslan.