Instead of freedom of conscience, a muzzle for freedom of speech: latest legislative initiative is a blatant attack on the right to criticize

Synthesis:

• The regulations designed and promoted by politicians associated with the Ministry of Justice (amendment to the Penal Code Act) are intended to ban public criticism of the church and other religious organizations

• The planned changes at the same time contain an exclusion of the unlawfulness of offending opinions expressed by believers in connection with their religion 

• The regulations currently in force in the Polish Penal Code guaranteeing freedom of conscience and religion, combined with constitutional standards, protect religious rituals and places of worship in a very broad manner.

• By introducing the criminal liability of behaviors such as "insult" and "mockery", the authors of the project broaden the spectrum of the impact of criminal law in a disproportionate and previously unknown manner to Polish criminal law.

Contact to the author:

Eliza Rutynowska, FOR lawyer
eliza.rutynowska@for.org.pl