Russia: Customs blocking entry of banned Hubbard books.

Russia: Customs blocking entry of banned Hubbard books

Unofficial translation of a Russian article posted on May 31, 2012 on the website of the Northwest Customs Directorate of the Russian Federation:
http://sztu.customs.ru/index.php?opt...2-04&Itemid=83

Saint Petersburg Customs: Results of the fight against extremism

May 31, 2012

Saint Petersburg customs notes a recent increase in the volume of religious propaganda literature being sent to Russia. Saint Petersburg customs agents regularly apply preventive measures to block the entry and further circulation of materials that have been ruled extremist.

In the course of their inspections, agents of the law enforcement branch of the customs office noted a significant influx into the northwest region of literature, booklets and CDs containing informational materials in Russian by L. Ron Hubbard, the ideologist of the international religious organization "Church of Scientology," sent by "New Era Publishing Group," a legal entity registered in Denmark.

The Shchyolkovo city court in the Moscow region has ruled a number of these materials extremist.

The Russian branch of the Danish "New Era" publishing company, which ships and distributes these materials, is presently facing criminal charges filed by the Main Investigations Directorate for the city of Shchyolkovo under Part 1, Article. 282 of the Criminal Code Of The Russian Federation ("Incitement of hatred, enmity, or abasement of human dignity").

Inspections of international mail in 2011 also turned up Hubbard books that have been ruled extremist by court decision.

To summarize, goods prohibited from importation on the territory of the Russian Federation were detected during customs inspections. In accordance with the customs legislation of the Russian Federation, the materials found as a result of the inspections were refused at the customs control point and will be returned to the foreign sender.

Thank You, mnql1.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=P8KPAXCESXI

Source: http://topspb.tv/news/news8427/

Transcript:
topspb.tv
May 31, 2012

Reporter:
Saint Petersburg customs agents showed reporters prohibited books, dozens of publications that are classified as extremist in Russia and were found in the mail. Russian-language publications of the international cult of Scientologists were sent in boxes to St. Petersburg. Moreover, these are gifts that he recipients did not solicit.

Ekaterina Zvereva, Chief Customs Inspector, Department of Customs Inspections, Vasileostrovskiy Customs Station, St. Petersburg:
It frightens me as a mother, as a citizen, that the target of this mail is institutions for children throughout the northwest region in large quantities.

Reporter:
Customs officials determined that the prohibited books are distributed by a Danish publisher. Criminal charges have already been filed against the company's Russian branch. The investigation is continuing. In accordance with the law, all of the extremist books will be returned to the sender.

http://www.forum.exscn.net/showthread.php?27281-Russia-Customs-blocking-entry-of-banned-Hubbard-books&p=690342#post690342