USA:
"Sect filter" violates Scientology RightsWashington, USA
September 9, 1999
dpaWashington (dpa) - The use of "sect filters" against the employment of adherents of the Scientology Organization in Germany violates their rights, in the view of the U.S. government. That was stated as fact by the U.S. State Department in its report published on Thursday on religious freedom all over the world. By "sect filters" were meant statements in which applicants have to assure that they are not members of Scientology or other similar organizations. However, the report, on the whole, expressed significantly less criticism of the treatment of Scientology members in Germany than did previous reports.
The State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Germany had tried in vain to arrange meetings between a U.S. Scientology attorney and officials from the German Foreign Office and other ministries, said the report. A meeting was refused because no new viewpoints had been anticipated. Scientology is under surveillance in Germany by their Constitutional Security agency because of suspicion of totalitarian endeavors [by Scientology].
In its world overview, the State Department found that religious freedom had increased on the whole. Nevertheless people were said to be persecuted for their beliefs in many countries. As examples Afghanistan, Burma, China, Iraq, India and Pakistan, among others were named.