The Australian Broadcasting Network just published a weird and disturbing report that the Scientology organization held a young woman against her will on its cruise ship, the Freewinds, which the Scientologists home port in Curaçao.

The report involves Valeska Paris who was born into a Scientology family.  Her father, once a millionaire, alleged that the organization fleeced him and he became impoverished.  After he committed suicide, her mother denounced Scientology on national television.  Scientology “church” leaders then instructed Ms. Paris to have no further contact with her family and placed her on the organization’s cruise ship where she has been held for twelve years.

As a child, Ms. Paris had enlisted into Scientology’s “Sea Organization” which required her to agree to a “one billion year contract” of service.

It seems that the Scientology cult uses the cruise ship to teach “specialized services . . . in advanced spiritual concepts” based on lectures that its leader L. Ron Hubbard gave in the 1960s.  Hubbard thought that the path to higher spirituality could be found in settings like cruise ships sailing to tranquil locations.  Hubbard was often photographed wearing a captain’s hat.

The “Church of Scientology International” calls Ms. Paris a “liar” and an “apostate.”  It refers to Ms. Paris’ claims as “wholly irresponsible, ludicrous, sad, spurious, dishonest, ridiculous, unreliable,  uncorroborated, and totally false.”  You can read the over-the-top Scientology denials here.

The Scientology statement says that the Freewinds cruise ship is a “wonderful place.”

The last time the Freewinds was in the news was in 2008 when asbestos was located on the ship and the cruise ship was declared a health hazard.  It was dubbed the Death Ship.

The Freewinds also came under criticism for discharging waste and polluting the waters of southern Caribbean islands.