AMSTERDAM--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In a major victory for the Church of Scientology and its parishioners in the Netherlands, the Appeals Tax Court of Amsterdam (No. 12/00652) confirmed today the Church of Scientology Amsterdam is operated exclusively for the public benefit and its activities are religious and ideological in nature and therefore tax exempt.

Last year, the court of Haarlem affirmed that the services the Church provides to its parishioners — auditing and training — are religious in nature. Today, the Court ruled that the Church of Scientology must be treated the same as other religious organizations under the law. The Court determined that the Church of Scientology is a Public Benefit Institution because its activities are exclusively religious in nature. It also found that the purpose and objective of participating in Scientology religious services was no different than the purpose and objective of participating in the religious services of other religious institutions.

The Church of Scientology of Amsterdam was established in 1974 and has been steadily working for the benefit of all. In addition to serving its parishioners, it sponsors effective social betterment programs reaching thousands.

Scientology is a worldwide religious movement practiced in 184 nations. Its bona fides and the rights of its members to practice their faith unimpeded by government interference have been acknowledged by the high courts of many nations, including unanimous decisions by the European Court of Human Rights. The Church and its members are active in humanitarian initiatives and social betterment programs in the fields of drug abuse prevention, human rights, literacy, criminal reform, morals education and disaster relief, helping millions.