The appeal for the Church of Scientology's conviction on fraud has opened in a Paris court.

In 2009, a court convicted the church's French branch, its bookstore and six of its leaders of organized fraud. The group was accused of pressuring members into paying large sums for questionable remedies and using "commercial harassment" against recruits.

The group and bookstore were fined euro600,000 ($830,000). Four leaders were given suspended sentences of between 10 months and two years. Two others were also fined.

Defense lawyers for the church plan to argue during the appeal, which opened Thursday, that the conviction curtails freedom of religion and association.

France does not consider Scientology a religion.