The Scientology church in Brussels (Picture: AFP/Getty Images)

Scientology could be banned in Belgium.

The religion’s future may depend on the outcome of a court trial, in which eleven members of the organisation and affiliates are accused of fraud, extortion, privacy violations and operating a criminal group. All parties deny the allegations.

If found guilty the Belgian wing of the church could be outlawed after prosecutor Christophe Caliman requested it be dissolved previously.

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Chris Meganck and Eric Roux of Scientology Belgium and Europe (Picture: AFP/Getty Images)

The final arguments were heard on Friday and afterwards a spokesman for the Church of Scientology defended it against the allegations.



‘You can’t explain an investigation this long and of such relentlessness against people who were only trying to peacefully practice their religion in Belgium,’ said Eric Roux.

The verdict will be delivered at the beginning of 2016, with the church also facing a possible fine.

The investigation into Scientology in Belgium began in 1997.

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