Published by the Church of Scientology International

Scientology Victorious
Court Renders Historic Decision in Spain

n a landmark decision, a Spanish court brought one of the oldest cases in a democracy to an unconditionally victorious conclusion for Scientologists. The Madrid provincial Court announced on 3 December that it dismissed all charges against all defendants in the case, which was widely reported in news internationally at various points since it began in 1984.

The case involved a series of unproven charges against multiple defendants and apparently sought to target the Scientology religion simply because it is a minority religion that has been growing rapidly in the country.

The court stated in its 67-page ruling, “Neither the defendants individually, nor collectively, nor through the Church of Scientology, nor through Narconon [drug rehabilitation program] ... have committed any type of illicit act, and therefore they are acquitted of all charges brought by the public prosecutor.”

“It’s a giant step forward for Spain as a European democracy, acknowledging religious plurality as a vital part of today’s society. The court refused to be led into a modern-day inquisition but looked at the facts and came to the only possible conclusion.”

The positive testimony of more than 100 witnesses during the trial—including the surprise accounts of many of the prosecutor’s own witnesses in support of the defendants—showed that the entire case was an effort by a handful of individuals from Spain’s old guard to manipulate the police and judiciary.

The resolution of the case reaffirms decisions world wide for the Church, including many that have upheld and confirmed its religious status. Since the beginning of the Madrid case in 1984, for example, the Church has achieved religious recognition in countries including the United States, Canada, Sweden and South Africa, dismissal of a long-standing case in Italy and religious recognition by that country’s Supreme Court, and scores of other positive rulings by judicial and administrative bodies throughout the world.

Read the press releases:

Spanish Court Ends 14 Years of Prosecutor’s Harassment of American Religious Leader

Scientology Wins 17-Year-Old Case in Spain – Total Victory as Court Declares Charges Groundless

Grand Opening of the Church of Scientology of Spain - Keynote Speech by Mr. David Miscavige