Former Exclusive Brethren Members Plan Class Action Over Alleged Human Rights Abuses

Samuel Forrest, the father of baby Leo, has revealed that hundreds of former Exclusive Brethren members are planning to sue the church over alleged “brainwashing” tactics and human rights abuses. Forrest, a former Brethren member, gained international attention after initiating a fundraising campaign to bring himself and his son to New Zealand from Armenia. He claims his Armenian wife, Ruzan Badalyan, left him shortly after their son was born because he refused to surrender Leo to an orphanage.

Forrest also has four children from a previous marriage to another Brethren member, and he has not seen them since the marriage ended over four years ago, following his excommunication. He stated that many other former members are now considering legal action against the religious group. “We’re building worldwide momentum for a class action,” Forrest told NZME News Service. He described the group as comprising “several hundred” ex-Brethren members who aim to challenge the impact of church doctrine on individuals’ lives.

The potential lawsuit would raise claims that the Brethren used threats of excommunication and damnation to discourage members from pursuing tertiary education. Forrest emphasized that the class action would seek to improve the conditions of children who are “through no choice of their own” in difficult situations. He also mentioned the goal of forcing “regulation and oversight” of Brethren activities, including education and “discipline practices.”

The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, formally known as the Plymouth Brethren, has previously denied allegations that members were discouraged from higher education. The church’s website states that its motto, “Learning to Learn,” encourages lifelong learning and that students are actively supported in continuing formal study after secondary school. It also notes that a “comfortable majority” of school leavers pursue tertiary education, with many “earning while they are learning.”

The church further claims that non-Brethren teachers are employed to deliver the curriculum within the group’s ethos. However, no official response has been issued to the recent allegations of a potential class action. The case, if pursued, would represent a significant legal challenge to the Brethren’s practices and their impact on members’ lives.

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