A problem with Scientology in the house of Luschkov
Berlin, Germany
November 11, 1999
BerlinOnlineFrank Nordhausen
Moscow's mayor Yuri Luschkov has a problem. His name is Sergei Dorenko. For weeks the well-known journalist, who moderates a political magazine in a broadcast studio friendly to Yeltsin, has been accusing the city chief of corruption, nepotism and contact with the mafia. An unpleasant situation, especially in the election campaign for the next state president, for which Luschkov is regarded as a promising candidate. Therefore the mayor hired a new judiciary staff member, Moscow lawyer Galina Krylova, and assigned her to prepare a libel suit against the journalist. Since then, Luschkov has yet a greater problem.
That is because the 37 year old woman is not only regarded as the most important legal representative for international sects in Russia, she also sits on the board of the "Citizens Commission on Human Rights" (CCHR) in the USA. This organization is a full-fledged offshoot of Scientology, whose goal it is to "liberate" the earth of psychiatrists.
Once more, sect experts are warning of possible Scientology influence upon Russian politics. "The mayor is either ill-informed, or somebody is trying to compromise him," said Alexander Dvorkin, sect commissioner of the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow, about the new legal advisor. "Krylova is being used by Scientology as a Trojan horse."
"On top of that, she also represents a coalition of totalitarian cults." In fact, Krylova has conducted all the important proceedings for sects of all sorts in the last few years in Russia - and has lost most of them.
For instance, in 1995 she represented the Japanese poison gas sect, Aum Shinrikyo, when parents' initiatives fought to ban them. She has also worked for the Korean Moon sect, the Hare Krishnas and the Jehovah's Witnesses. Mostly, though, she has worked for Scientology, whereby her assignments have gone far beyond the duties of an attorney. The Scientologists put her on the board of CCHR and published a photograph in their magazine "Scientology News" in 1997 of "Fighters against Psychiatry" at a California sect gala. Krylova stood in the first row.
Scientology is presently under increased scrutiny by the justice department. After diverse raids, state attorneys are investigating top managers of the sect in various cities. On October 6, a Moscow court ordered the closing of the "Humanitarian Hubbard Center," the largest Scientology branch in Russia, because of money-laundering, illegal business practices and violating civil rights; the appeal of the Scientologists has not yet been decided. Legal representative for the sect was, as usual, Galina Krylova.
Russian and German sect experts are now warning of a renewed attempt by the organization "to exert influence on Russian politics and gather information on top politicians," according to Berlin Evangelical sect commissioner Thomas Gandow. He said that Krylova, based on her position, was "clearly a person who was being remotely steered by Scientology."
Since 1989, the sect has established more and more contacts to Russian politicians. In March 1998, the "Berliner Zeitung" reported that the newly named Premier Minister Sergei Kirijenko had taken Scientology courses. At the time, experts feared extortion attempts by the Scientologists. "Luschkov's connection to Krylova is a certified scandal," now says Russian sect commissioner Dvorkin. "Politically, that could be very dangerous for him."