International Foundation for Human Rights and Tolerance
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The International Foundation for Human Rights and Tolerance is a human rights group affiliated with Scientology, the stated aim of which is to "provide easy-to-understand human rights education to adults and children so that they are able to grasp what fundamental human rights are as aligned with the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights." The group's secondary objective is to "effectively combat violations of human rights, focusing on the issues of children and religious freedom."
The foundation was established in 1997 as the Foundation for Religious Tolerance at 1332 L. Ron Hubbard Way in Los Angeles, California, later changing its name in 2002 and moving to 4845 Fountain Ave in 2003.[1] Its president is Mary Shuttleworth, nee Untiedt, a longtime Scientologist who also heads Youth for Human Rights International and has ties to Applied Scholastics. Its director is Michael Wisner, also a Scientologist, who reached New Operational Thetan level VIII aboard the Freewinds, the vessel of Sea Org.
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[edit] Controversy
Aside from promoting human rights, critics have said, the foundation has three purposes: 1) it associates Scientology with more mainstream ideals, polishing its reputation; 2) it pushes for Scientology to be accepted as a religion, rather than monitored as a cult, as it is in several European countries; and 3) it provides Scientology with an avenue to distribute its materials and recruit.
In December 2006, a parliamentary investigation published in France recorded ex-Scientologists, including Roger Gonnet, the former head of Scientology's office in Lyon, as testifying that Scientology had abused the human rights of children, removing them from school, separating them from their parents, exposing them to interrogation techniques and forcing them to work many hours a week.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ International Foundation for Human Rights and Tolerance (1998-2004). Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (public documents). IRS Form 990. Economic Research Institute.
