The Church of Scientology in Russia has filed a complaint against the Moscow authorities for human rights violations after police raided its offices and questioned several of its members about alleged tax irregularities.

The group denounced the police investigation as totally outrageous and said it was part of a campaign of religious persecution in Russia.

Correspondents say the Church of Scientology -- which was founded by the late American science fiction writer L.Ron Hubbard, and claims eight million members worldwide -- has spread rapidly in the former Soviet Union.

They say the Russian Orthodox Church regards it as a dangerous sect and supports a new law restricting non-traditional religions.