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Rael's Libel Case Thrown Out

By stcynic on July 5, 2006.

Claude Vorhilon, better known as the head of the Raelian space cult, has had a libel suit he filed against a writer in Canada thrown out of court:

When laughing him off as a "scatterbrained swindler" and a "clown," an Ottawa columnist did not libel the man known as Rael, a Quebec Superior Court has ruled.

Dismissing an $85,000 damage suit against columnist Denis Gratton and Le Droit newspaper, Justice Maurice Larame said arguments by Claude Vorhilon, who calls himself Rael, are "airy-fairy."

"It is strange, to say the least, that Rael should be offended by terms used about him when they are similar to those he uses when he judges ... followers of the Jewish and Christian religions," the judge wrote in his June 21 ruling...

"You cannot avail yourself of freedom of religion to say just about anything and demand to be above criticism, even if it's severe," the judge added.

Hear, hear. Three cheers for the judge.

Tags
law

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