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Cults and governments
In many countries there exists [[freedom of religion]], and [[separation of church and state]]. Some of these countries are, also concerned with possible abuses by [[cult]]s and have taken restrictive measures against some of their activities. Those measures were generally motivated by various crimes committed inside cults, especially by a string of murderous incidents involving doomsday cults circa 1995. 

(contracted; show full)

* On [[10 June]] 1987 the penal court of Basel sentenced two [[Scientologists]] for continued [[extortion]] to a suspended prison sentence and fine because they had sold services at high prices to a physically and mentally handicapped person.

* In December 2003, the head of [[Scientology]] Lausanne was sentenced to a suspended prison sentence and the payment of damages for [[defamation]] of a former member.

==United Kingdom==
{{sect-stub}}
In the [[United Kingdom]] a charity named [[INFORM]]
 (Information Network Focus on Religious Movements) was founded in [[1988]] by professor [[Eileen Barker]] of the [[London School of Economics]], with the funding from the [[Home Office|Home Office]] and the support of mainstream Churches. According to their website, their primary aim is "...  to help people through providing them with accurate, balanced, up-to-date information about new and/or alternative religious or spiritual movements." [http://www.inform.ac/infmain.html]

INFORM patrons includes Bishop Kallistos of Diokleia (Greek Orthodox Church)   and Lord Bishop [[Charles Henderson (Roman Catholic)|Charles  Henderson]] (Roman Catholic Church BishopGraham James of Norwich (Church of England), [[Ralph Dahrendorf|Lord Dahrendorf]] and [[Meghnad Desai|Lord Desai]].

==United States==

Timothy Miller, of the [[University of Kansas]] writes that no country in the world has a religious diversity as extensive as that found in the United States. He asserts that this religious diversity is due in significant part to the [[First Amendment]] to the [[United States Constitution]], which guarantees that no religion will have governmental endorsement and that all Americans are free to practice the religion(contracted; show full)

* Council of Europe. 1999.''Recommendation 1412-Illegal Activities of Sects.'' Legal Affairs and Human Rights Committee. 3pp; [http://www.agpf.de/Europarat-Nastase-Report.htm]

==External links==
*[http://www.let.leidenuniv.nl/bth/aalderink/index.html "Totally Expunge Evil, Pursue it to the End" Explaining the Crackdown on the Falun Gong] Graduation paper by Karin Aalderink Department of Chinese Studies [[Leiden University]], The Netherlands (2001)