CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY INTERNATIONAL

Foreign Relations

Made contacts to express concerns about the client's situation in Hungary. A recent request based on Freedom of Information Act (F.O.I.) revealed that the Hungarian State is funding the activities of an anti-Church hate group called Clarus Animus Foundation in Hungary. Through this F.O.I. request the Church found out that the Bethlen Gabor Fund Handler (a state-owned corporation that distributes state funds) donated over $70,000 to the anti-Church group over the last few years. This issue should be raised with the Hungarian government, which is a founding member of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance. It should be unacceptable that members of the Alliance are taking officials actions against religious communities. On behalf of 19 organizations and individuals, including the client, made contact to express deep concerns about a situation in Japan. The Bill for the Prevention of Unfair Solicitation of Donations by Organizations, which was drafted by the government to regulate malicious donations, was being debated by the National Diet of Japan and we respectfully urged that this legislation be withdrawn or voted down by the Diet. At the very least, the provisions that would infringe upon freedom of religion or belief should be stripped out of the bill. The bill would violate the Constitution of Japan, which guarantees freedom of religion and requires the state to refrain from religious education or any other religious activity, and Article 18 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which Japan ratified in 1979. Article 18 protects freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. Further, the bill will violate Article 22, which protects against unreasonable limitations of rights and freedoms of associations to self-organize themselves and obtain the necessary resources for their operations, and Article 26, which protects against non-discrimination. This issue should be raised with the Japanese government. The legislation will negatively impact all faith communities and organizations in Japan and will leave a black mark on Japan and set a devastating precedent that other countries may follow.

TargetedState, Dept of (DOS)