Charging that it has uncovered a number of questionable deaths in Dianetics and or Scientology Institutions, a national citizens rights group today launched a probe into all deaths of members of those organizations over the last decade.

The probe was initiated in a letter from the Citizens Commission on Freedom of Thought (CCFOT) Executive Director to David Miscavige, Chairman of Religious Technology Co., the parent organization of Dianetics/Scientology, requesting the name and cause of death of all persons who died while undergoing Dianetics or Scientology training courses since 1980.

According to CCFOT, the high number of questionable deaths among members of the Dianetics/Scientology organizations apparently arises from a lack of concern for the lives of persons who have been placed in the hands of Scientology auditors.

One of the cases under investigation by CCFOT involves a person who apparently died during the group's "Purification Rundown", which includes several hours a day in a sauna.

"It appears that this person was killed by the Scientology treatment he was given, and yet no autopsy was performed" said the Director. "It is intolerable that deaths like this have occurred with no concern demonstrated by the Scientologists involved for the possibility that they are actually killing their patients."

CCFOT's letter specifies that if patient confidentiality provisions prohibit the release of names, the list may consist solely of total deaths and an enumeration of the reported causes of death.

"The lives of thousands of Scientologists depend on a thorough investigation of all deaths of members of all Dianetics / Scientology groups. Only by finding out the causes of these deaths will it be possible to prevent future needless deaths at the hands of Scientology," said the Director.

CCFOT was established in 1991 by the Cult Awareness Network to investigate and expose Scientology's violations of Freedom of Thought through mind control techniques.