Earlier this week, a district court in Toruń announced the dismissal of the case involving Member of Parliament Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus. She had been accused of deliberately disrupting a Holy Mass and insulting the religious sensibilities of attendees. The judge ruled that there was no evidence of a prohibited act, and the proceedings were terminated at a court session that day. The decision comes after prosecutors had argued that on October 25, 2020, at the Toruń Church of St James the Apostle, Scheuring-Wielgus interfered with the Mass and insulted this sacred space and its worshippers.
During the liturgy, Scheuring-Wielgus reportedly entered the church, positioned herself with her back to the altar, and observed the congregation. She is said to have displayed plaques bearing messages that read, “Woman, you can decide for yourself,” and “Women should have the right to decide whether to give birth or not.” It is claimed that she then turned toward the altar, presented the tablets to the celebrants, and subsequently walked through the nave to the exit, showing the plaques to the believers before leaving the church.
The court ultimately discontinued the case due to lack of evidence of a prohibited act. The costs of the legal proceedings were assigned to the Treasury. The decision to halt the criminal proceedings was issued at a hearing without the matter being fully argued, a procedural choice requested by the prosecutor and assistant prosecutors involved in the case.
Judge Sławomir Więckowski noted in his oral justification that, given the absence of any prohibited act, a cease-and-desist order could be issued in the same hearing. He also highlighted a related prior ruling that had dropped a case against Scheuring-Wielgus’s husband, Piotr Wielgus, who had been associated with the MP. The indictment had alleged collaboration between the MP and her husband, but the judge indicated that this claim was not justified by the evidence presented.
“I didn’t do anything wrong”
The ruling is not final, and the parties hold the right to appeal the decision to a higher court within seven days. Following the hearing, Scheuring-Wielgus offered a statement clarifying her stance and the context surrounding the event. She asserted that she remained in the church for a brief period, describing her action as a personal comment on what she views as excessive church influence in private matters. She characterized her presence in the church and the accompanying demonstration as a means to draw attention to what she considers the church’s intervention in women’s private lives. According to her account, the incident was intended to highlight perceived contradictions rather than to offend congregants or violate religious spaces, and she framed the action as a form of accountability in public life.
Prosecutor Paulina Marek from the Toruń-Centre District Prosecutor’s Office Zachód stated that the decision to stop the case would be reviewed and an assessment would be made regarding whether to pursue an appeal. The final direction will depend on the ongoing analysis by the prosecution as the legal process progresses. The case has attracted attention and sparked ongoing discussion about the balance between free expression, public demonstrations, and respect for religious practices within a courtroom framework. (Source: wPolityce)