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Polish Bishop on Trial over Child Sex Abuse Reporting Delays
Bishop Andrzej Jeż faces charges for allegedly delaying police notification of sexual abuse by priests; Poland saw 382 abuse complaints from 1990 to 2018, according to church data.
- In a Tarnów courtroom on Feb. 18, prosecutors opened the trial of Bishop Andrzej Jeż over alleged delays in reporting abuse, based on an April 2024 indictment under Article 240.
- Prosecutors argue the bishop knew of two priests' abuse and had a legal duty to report, as the 2017 amendment made immediate notification obligatory for sexual offences against children under 15.
- One implicated priest, Stanisław P., is believed to have abused 95 children and committed sexual crimes against 77 since the 1980s, while the bishop's delegate reported the matter to law enforcement on Dec. 16, 2021.
- Polish media call the trial unprecedented and say it will be followed across the country as the first case charging a high-ranking church hierarchy member, with prosecutors arguing Jeż faces potential prison if convicted.
- Earlier this week, an independent commission identified at least 50 victims and 29 alleged abusers, while Polish bishops will meet March 10-12 in Warsaw to vote on a national commission.
43 Articles
43 Articles
This is an unprecedented trial in the homeland of John Paul II: a Polish bishop appeared before the courts on Wednesday for covering acts of child criminality committed by priests in his diocese.
A bishop in Poland went on trial on Wednesday accused of covering up pedophilia among priests in his diocese, a landmark case in the deeply Catholic country.
The trial of a bishop accused of covering up the alleged pedophilia of two priests began in Poland today. It is a groundbreaking case in the strongly Catholic country, as the bishop is the first high-ranking church official to be accused of failing to report abuse, the French news agency AFP reports. The bishop denies all charges.
Associated Press News
Polish bishop on trial over alleged delays in reporting claims of child abuse by priests
A Polish bishop is facing trial for allegedly not immediately reporting child sex abuse claims against two priests under his supervision.
Polish bishop on trial over child sex abuse reporting delays
A Polish Catholic bishop appeared in court on Wednesday to face charges of holding off on reporting child sexual abuse by priests in his diocese, making him the most senior church leader in the country to stand trial for such an offence.
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