PRESS RELEASE
Swami Dhyan Giten



English media in the Fire III



The Times (UK) admits damage to Osho´s
reputation in the US, but denies defamation


In respons to a complaint made by Swami Dhyan
Giten about the article "Little boy lost in the commune"
published in The Times january 19, 2004, Penny Wark,
associate editor of The Times, admits that Osho´s
(Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh) reputation was damaged in the US,
but she denies that the article in The Times has defamed Osho.

Penny Wark says: "As you will be aware, there are many
versions of the circumstances surrounding Osho's departure
from the US, but there is no doubt that he was widely
discredited at that time and that his subsequent reputation
was damaged. I accept that there are some people who do
not take this view, but this does not mean that I have to
share their interpretation. In law it is impossible to
defame someone who is dead. We do not accept that
the article was flawed in the way you suggest."

In an inquiry, The Swedish Press Complaints
Commission says that defamation of a deceased
person according to Swedish law is considered a
criminal act and that the Press Commission handles
complaints on these grounds.

Pending a complaint against The Times, Patrick
Evenden of The English Press Complaints Commission
has also been asked for a comment.

Swami Dhyan Giten, who has 19 years of experience in
teaching awareness and meditation and is author
of the book Song of Meditation - About Meditation, Relationships
and Spiritual Creativity says: "The article in The Times
is one of the better articles that I have read and I
appreciate the concern of The Times to answer the
complaint, but it is still not acceptable. My feeling
is that media has been telling lies about Osho for so
long that they thought this to be an easy target. They
did not expect to suddenly become accountable for
what they write. So what can they really say without
looking like complete idiots?"


The gist of the complaint to The Times can be read under the topic
Detailed complaint about the review The future was orange
in The Observer on www.SannyasWorld.com


For further information: Swami Dhyan GIten, ,  info@giten.net, www.giten.net
Copies of the whole complaint are available.