GREEK SCIENTOLOGISTS SHARE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

UNCLAS ATHENS 000602 SIPDIS FOR EUR/SE AND DRL/IRF E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PGOV GR RFREEDOM SUBJECT: GREEK SCIENTOLOGISTS SHARE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM PROBLEMS ENTIRE TEXT IS UNCLASSIFIED. ¶1. On February 21 pol intern and senior FSN met with Katarina Diamantara and Irene Karanbali, representatives of the Church of Scientology in Greece, to discuss Scientology's continuing struggle for state recognition. The Scientologists reported that they were established in Greece as a non-profit organization in 1993. They applied for a house of prayer permit in 2000, but the application was denied after they waited nearly two years for a response. (Note: In Greece, a religious organization must obtain a house of prayer permit to establish and legally operate any house of prayer. Without the permit, worshippers risk arrest and other legal consequences. End Note.) Since the denial of the permit, Greek Scientologists have not reapplied, hoping to press the issue at a more advantageous time. The two mentioned Scientology's effort to gain recognition in Russia, hoping that any positive developments there might set a precedent for court decisions in Greece, or in the event that the Greek Scientologists take their case to the European Courts. The representatives said that the powerful Greek Orthodox Church views Scientology negatively, as a sort of "American cult." This could certainly have an impact on the denial of their request for a house of prayer permit, since the responsible authority, the Ministry of Education and Religion, can base its decision on the opinion of the local Orthodox bishop. ¶2. In the meantime, the Scientologists detailed that in 2006 they plan to recruit more members, buy property to establish themselves permanently, and push for greater recognition from the Greek government and society. While Greece is home to only a small number of Scientologists (roughly 500, almost all of whom reside in Athens),the representatives said that Scientology is among the fastest growing religions in the country. ¶3. In order to educate Greeks about their religion, Scientologists have written pamphlets to hand out on the streets, hoping to encourage more understanding of, and less discrimination against Scientology and non-Orthodox religions in general. Another focus of the Scientologists' outreach efforts is Greek children, in an attempt to counteract information in school textbooks which describes Scientology as a "sect." While they have not taken a public stand on the issue of separation of Church and state, Scientologists are concerned about Orthodox instruction in schools and religious classes that focus solely on Orthodox beliefs. ¶4. COMMENT: How the GoG ultimately responds to the Scientology issue is a good bellwether of religious freedom in Greece. There have been improvements in recent years -- such as less harassment of practitioners (the same is true for Mormon missionaries) -- but there is still discrimination and a stigma attached to religions and beliefs different from Greek Orthodoxy. Ries