---

The Register, UK
July 8, 2005
Jan Libbenga
www.theregister.co.uk

---

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Item 11619 • Posted: Friday July 8, 2005  

---

A day before the Dutch Supreme Court was to deliver its final verdict, the Church of Scientology has dropped its controversial case against writer Karin Spaink, who hyperlinked to what the church believe is copyrighted material. However, Spaink wants the case to continue, as it will establish a freedom of speech precedence for the internet and ISPs in particular.

On her webpage Spaink linked to documents from the Church of Scientology about its doctrines. From as early as 1995, the Church of Scientology initiated exhaustive judicial proceedings to prevent the disputed material from being published, but each time the (Dutch) court decided in favour of Spaink. In 2003, the Court of Appeal in The Hague rejected all of the Church of Scientology’s claims against Spaink and ten internet providers, who had permitted subscribers posting the documents. The Church eventually decided to take the case to the highest judicial authority.

The Scientologists must have realised they will not stand a chance in court. Earlier this year, the Dutch Attorney-General published an 82-page opinion to the Dutch Supreme Court, in which he upheld the decision that free speech can trump copyright.

---

What You Can Do From Here

---

Read More Articles On These Topics Categories: Scientology Share, Blog About, Bookmark, or Email This Article Subscribe Religion News Blog RSS feed [What is this?] RSS by topic: Scientology Read Another Article Previous entry: Europe is learning a hard lesson from Muslim immigrant experience Next entry: Patron of lost and stolen items goes missing RNB Homepage with latest headlines Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults Find Related Books Scientology Most Popular Today I know the dark side of Scientology…I almost lost my friend when she became obsessed with it Church of Scientology told to drop Churchill images

---

Share This Article

---

To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:

• Post a link on your blog or website:
  
• Send in an email or IM:
  
• Post on a forum:
  

Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- CounterCultSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.

Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- ApologeticsSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.