The Family Wins Again on Appeal in France: New "Catastrophe" for the Anti-Cult Movement ADFI and the Governmental Mission to Fight Cults

On February 24, 2000 the Court of Aix-en-Provence rejected the appeal brought by the private anti-cult organization ADFI and by Ms Tamara Van der Pyl (a private individual whose ex-husband she accused of being a member of The Family, a circumstance both he and The Family deny). The first degree verdict that, on January 11, 1999, found 21 members of The Family, formerly the Children of God, (and the 22nd defendant, Ms Van der Pyl's ex-husband) not guilty of multiple charges of sexual abuse brought against them has been upheld. At the time of the first decision, ADFI called it "a catastrophe".. Documents of parliamentary commissions and of the French governmental Mission to Fight Cults alleging that The Family routinely abuse children are also now publicly challenged by rulings by the French Republic's own judges.

See background and comments on the first degree decision