Washington, USA - The US State Department said Friday that religious minorities faced discrimination in Germany during the last year, including bans that prevent female Muslim teachers from wearing headscarves in schools.
The State Department's annual report cited the monitoring of Scientologists and local government practices that discriminate against the Los Angeles-based religious group.
'Scientologists continue to find 'sect filters' used against them in employment as well as discrimination in political party membership,' the report said.
The State Department noted attempts by the Defence Ministry to bar filming at military sites of a movie about Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg, who was executed for plotting to assassinate Adolph Hitler, because of the actor Tom Cruise's association with Scientology.
The report also pointed to attempts by governor of the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Guenther Oettinger, to prevent the appearance of John Travolta on a popular television show. Travolta is also a Scientologist.
The German government does not recognize Scientology as a religion because of its lack of transparency and perceptions that it aims solely to make money.
Some local governments have also restricted the ability of Jehovah Witnesses to hold public events and eight states had banned female Islamic teachers from wearing headscarves in schools.