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24 November 2024
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US government reports on conviction of Polish evangelical pastor: Violation of freedom of speech

By
Against the Tide TV
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Pastor Paweł Chojecki, US president Joe Biden, Polish Prosecutor General Adam Bodnar, USCIRF report

„In Poland in June, the Lublin Court of Appeals upheld a 2021 court ruling that Protestant Pastor Paweł Chojecki serve eight months of community service after being found guilty of «offending religious feelings» for critical comments he made about Catholics and the (Polish – ed.) president” – reads an annual report by US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). It cites Pastor Chojecki’s conviction as an example of violations of international protections for freedom of religion and freedom of expression in Europe.

The conviction of Pastor Paweł Chojecki is described in the section “Key global developments” in the section “Laws restricting religious freedom.” The report cites only two examples of violations of international law in Poland and one of them is the trial of Paweł Chojecki, editor-in-chief of Against the Tide TV and pastor of the independent evangelical New Covenant Church in Lublin.

Does „blasphemy law” really apply in Poland?

“A number of European states passed and enforced laws that restrict expression deemed insulting to religion, in violation of international protections for freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression. (…) In Poland in June, the Lublin Court of Appeals upheld a 2021 court ruling that Protestant Pastor Paweł Chojecki serve eight months of community service after being found guilty of «offending religious feelings» for critical comments he made about Catholics and the (Polish – ed.) president” – wrote the report of the U.S. government agency for religious freedom.


The US agency emphasizes in the document: “Blasphemy laws remain one of the most significant challenges to religious freedom by punishing acts or expressions deemed insulting or offensive to religious feelings, figures, or symbols with the death penalty, compulsory labor, imprisonment, or fines.”

Why was Pastor Chojecki convicted?

In the online television channel that he founded, „Against the Tide TV,” Pastor Paweł Chojecki has been criticizing the Catholic Church for years over issues such as pedophilia, straying from Jesus’ teachings, and collusion with the authorities. (Every week, several thousand viewers watch his sermons about free grace salvation, without the need for sacraments and good works.) He called Polish President Andrzej Duda a coward for his lack of decisiveness regarding Russia. It was precisely for these reasons that pro-Russian and Catholic circles began a campaign against the pastor. (One of the auxiliary prosecutors in the pastor’s trial recently participated in a pro-Russian demonstration in Lublin. Another is being investigated by the Internal Security Agency (ABW); in February of this year, his books were confiscated as part of an investigation into the denial of Nazi crimes against Jews.) They found an ally in the Prosecutor’s Office, led by Minister of Justice Zbigniew Ziobro, which in 2020 charged the pastor with insulting President Duda and offending the religious feelings of Catholics.

Poland has laws, compared by some to the so-called „blasphemy laws” in Islamic countries, where it is forbidden to insult the Quran or Muhammad. In Poland, this includes Article 196 of the Penal Code regarding the offence of religious feelings, which is primarily used to prosecute critics of the Catholic Church.

In 2021, Judge Andrzej Klimkowski of the Lublin District Court stated that Pastor Chojecki „attacks the Church as an institution” and sentenced him to 8 months of restricted freedom in the form of community service and ordered him to pay over 20,000 PLN in legal costs. Judge Wojciech Zaręba of the Lublin Court of Appeals upheld the verdict.

Pastor Chojecki’s hope, who is also the editor-in-chief of Against the Tide TV, lies in appealing the verdict to the Supreme Court, which can only be done by the Ombudsman or the Minister of Justice (who is also the Attorney General). There was no hope for this under the rule of the Law and Justice party, but the situation changed when the October 15 Coalition came to power last year. Unfortunately, Ombudsman Marcin Wiącek (who was elected under the previous government) rejected the request and petition for the cassation of the pastor’s sentence. From the minister of the new government – Adam Bodnar – the pastor has not yet received a response. Instead, the pastor has filed a complaint against the verdict with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. In April, the Court decided to take up the case.


“Poland is being pointed fingers because of the fact that it violates standards of religious freedom,” – This is how Pastor Chojecki’s defense attorney, attorney Andrzej Turczyn, commented on the U.S. government’s report in the „Against the Tide LIVE” program. Pastor Chojecki also addressed the situation, lamenting that “this verdict is an embarrassment for Poland.”

A documentary film about Pastor Chojecki’s trial has been made, titled “Pastor on Trial: Convicted of Criticizing Catholic Church and Polish President”. Movie in German and Czech is to be available.

This is happening in the heart of Europe! The premiere of a film about the “blasphemy law” in Poland.

By
Against the Tide TV
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Petition to Commissioner For Human Rights

By
Against the Tide TV
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[PETITION FORM BELOW]

To the Commissioner for Citizen Rights of the Republic of Poland

Dear Mr. Spokesman,

We, the undersigned, request the Honorable Commissioner to submit, pursuant to Article 521 §1 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, extraordinary cassation against the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Lublin in the case against Pastor Paweł Chojecki, founder of the New Covenant Church in Lublin and the Against the Tide Television.

The ruling in the case, as well as the trial itself, brings shame to Poland for several reasons and constitutes a threat to freedom of religion and speech as fundamental civil liberties in a democratic state of law; it constitutes a direct threat to democracy and denies respect for constitutionally guaranteed values.

This ruling is a form of intimidation against religious minorities in Poland, a severe limitation of the freedom of the press in Poland and a direct disgrace to our history and tradition as a state of freedom and tolerance. After all, it mirrors a return to the times of the Inquisition, when the state authorities in corroboration with the hierarchs of the dominant Catholic church intimidated and persecuted other religions.

The Honorable Commissioner has already staged an intervention during the initial phase of this trial when the actions of the Lublin prosecutor’s office critically limited the right to defend the Protestant pastor.

The court of first instance instigated further violations that desecrated the standards demanded of a fair trial by refusing to interview many defense witnesses, accepting only the opinion of an expert selected by the prosecutor’s office, who, as it turned out during the proceedings, has no competency in the field of linguistics, media studies or Protestant homiletics. The opinion of an expert in the field of religious studies was deemed an inadequate source of evidence for providing important and relevant facts considering the subject matter of the trial.

Moreover, the expert appointed in the case, admitted before the adjudicating court, that he did not familiarize himself with the contents of any of the convicted Pastor’s sermons, despite being designated to provide counsel regarding them!

At the same time, the adjudicating court rejected the opinions of five defense experts, and although they were not admitted in the procedural sense, at minimum they advocated for the necessity of admitting and collecting evidence from their opinions. Among them were specialists with recognized achievements, including: prof. Tadeusz Bartoś, prof. Kazimierz Jodkowski and prof. Krzysztof Kilian.

The trial before the appellate court took place with a premeditated restriction on the right to defense as evidenced by the fact that the proceedings were held before an improperly staffed court (only one judge determined the development of the case instead of three).

The trial court disregarded the testimonies of influential Protestant pastors by indicating a certain “chilling effect” of this trial on the other pastors. The court also disregarded their testimonies about Pastor Paweł Chojecki’s statements falling within the framework of the Catholic versus Protestant polemic, which has been transpiring since the 16th century.

In his verbal justification, the judge of the Court of Appeal in Lublin dismissed the multi-page appeals of three law firms with a few generalities and an indication that Pastor Paweł Chojecki has a crystal-clear opinion, all of his statements and sermons are irreproachable in terms of substantive content, and the only issue taken up by the court regards… “the propriety of speech”!

As an indication of the alleged lack of propriety, which ought to be punished under the criminal act, the adjudicating court cited the following words: “idiotic”, “sleazy”, “Soviet crap”, which belong to the normal vocabulary of the decidedly vast majority of Poles as well as the ideological and worldview debate held in Poland.

These are just some of the court actions indicating that this trial is not about addressing any crime, but about silencing the Against the Tide Television which belongs to biblical Christians and the Protestant church, both of which represent a critical inconvenience to the supposed ruling party and the Catholic bishops.

Thus, stopping this flagrant attack on justice, democracy, and civil liberties in the Republic of Poland through the submission of an extraordinary cassation appeal against the ordained judgment to the Supreme Court by the Honorable Commissioner, presents as an urgent need for the welfare of civil society and is the only way to prevent this shameful wickedness from being further directed towards religious minorities in Poland.

Sign the petition!


Pastor not accepted for forced labor sentenced by Law and Justice!

By
Against the Tide TV
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Pastor Chojecki appeared at 8 a.m. today at the Lublin Village Museum to serve the forced labor he was sentenced to for criticizing the tenets of the Catholic Church and President Duda. The pastor was not allowed to work because of a banner he had on his back

“CONVICTED FOR CRITICISING THE CHURCH AND THE LAW AND JUSTICE.”

The pastor was also denied the company of a medical caregiver, even though Pastor Chojecki presented a medical certificate to that effect. Asked by the pastor’s lawyer, attorney Andrew Turczyn, about legal provisions that would say a pastor could not do forced labor with a banner on his back, representatives of the open-air museum said they were not aware of such laws.

More today on IPP TV LIVE!!

Pawel Chojecki, pastor of the New Covenant Church in Lublin and editor-in-chief of Go Against the Tide TV, was on trial for words uttered during sermons and in programs aired on the television he founded. The prosecutor’s office accused him of insulting the religious feelings of Catholics, insulting Catholic objects of religious reverence, praising the initiation of a forward war against communist North Korea, and insulting the Polish Nation and the President of Poland. The court of first instance sentenced Pastor Chojecki to eight months of restriction of liberty in the form of community service and ordered him to pay legal costs of nearly PLN 21,000. Four appeals were filed to the verdict. The Court of Appeals in Lublin upheld the verdict of the court of first instance. Under the Polish system, Pastor Chojecki can no longer appeal the verdict. The case will be referred to international institutions for consideration.

PHOTO REPORT:

Pastor Chojecki from forced labor responds to Kaczynski!

By
Against the Tide TV
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Your gang is harassing innocent Christians! – said to Jaroslaw Kaczynski Pastor Pawel Chojecki, editor-in-chief of the TV station Go Against the Tide before the forced labor to which he was sentenced by a Polish court for criticizing the Catholic Church and the PiS government.

Jaroslaw Kaczynski on Saturday addressed undecided voters:

“It is necessary to say to those undecided: maybe you have some grudges against us, maybe we failed somewhere, but don’t be fooled, because what was will come back. What was also against you, don’t be silly, we weren’t perfect either, but even when it came to all sorts of mistakes, we were able to admit them.”

Pastor Pawel Chojecki described the words as begging for votes and replied to Deputy Prime Minister Kaczynski:

“No, Jaroslaw. Neither the communists who ruled Poland, nor Tusk’s Platform, which ruled, harassed innocent Christians – that’s what you and your gang did! […] You were not able to admit to this court crime. I hope that the consequences of this will reach the Poles. I hope that what I have written on my back: “Convicted for criticizing the Church and Law and Justice,” will never again affect the younger generation in particular. I hope that the time of persecution of Christians in Poland, taking revenge on innocent people just because they criticize the government and the Catholic bishops’ mafia in Poland, that this time is quickly coming to an end. So help us God.”

In front of the Lublin open-air museum building where Pawel Chojecki is to serve forced labor, dozens of people demonstrated in support of the pastor and against the suppression of freedom of speech and religion and the unjust sentence.

The demonstrators held brooms, symbolically identifying themselves with Pavel Chojecki, who begins serving his sentence of forced labor today. They also held banners with the words: “Shameful sentence,” “Pastor, we are with you,” “Freedom of speech,” “Article 196 of the CC to the trash!” and “We are going for freedom.

Briefly about the trial of Pastor Pawel Chojecki

Pawel Chojecki, pastor of the New Covenant Church in Lublin and editor-in-chief of Go Against the Tide TV, was on trial for words uttered during sermons and in programs aired on the television he founded. The prosecutor’s office accused him of insulting the religious feelings of Catholics, insulting Catholic objects of religious reverence, praising the initiation of a forward war against communist North Korea, and insulting the Polish Nation and the President of Poland. The court of first instance sentenced Pastor Chojecki to eight months of restriction of liberty in the form of community service and ordered him to pay legal costs of nearly PLN 21,000. Four appeals were filed to the verdict. The Court of Appeals in Lublin upheld the verdict of the court of first instance. Under the Polish system, Pastor Chojecki can no longer appeal the verdict. The case will be referred to international institutions for consideration.

PHOTO REPORT:

Newsletter We’re flying for freedom!

By
Against the Tide TV
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Newsletter We’re flying for freedom!

Pawel Chojecki & Joe Losiak in the US May 27–June 6 2023

The origins of this unusual trip date back to December 2021 when, in Krakow, Pastor Pawel Chojecki met with Joe Losiak, a Protestant missionary of Polish origin who brought the gospel of free salvation in Jesus to Poland during the communist era, preached as part of Fr. Franciszek Blachnicki’s Oasis movement. The trip to the US is one of the fruits of this more than two-year collaboration. It was Joe Losiak and his wife Anna who arranged and organized the events that took place during this trip to the USA.

The purpose of the trip was to lift the spirits of the American Polish community, and to convince American Christians that Poland is in dire need of their support. Indeed, people in Poland are open to ways other than Catholicism.

The trip was attended by Pastor Pawel Chojecki and his wife, representatives of the New Covenant Church in Lublin, as well as participants in the Megachurch project from the US and Canada. Joe and Anna Losiak accompanied the group from Poland, the US and Canada from the very beginning.

See what the route of the “Flying for Freedom” expedition looked like! [Film]

Visit to Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, May 26, 2023.

The first item on the agenda was a visit to Moody Bible Institute. This is one of the best Bible colleges in the world, which is located in the heart of downtown Chicago. Moody Bible Institute has a very well-known publishing house, as well as one of the largest Christian radio stations in the US. The life story of the college’s founder – D. L. Moody shows that even in the worst of circumstances, with humble beginnings, with God’s help, success can be achieved.

Meeting with the Polish community at CrossPoint Church in Ingleside (Chicago suburb), May 26, 2023.

The first meeting with the Polish community took place in the Chicago suburbs where Pastor Pawel Chojecki gave a lecture titled “Will We Complete the Cannon of Solidarity?” [Lecture].

Meeting with the Polish community at The Moody Church in Chicago, May 27, 2023.

The second meeting with the Polish community organized by Joe and Anna Losiak took the form of a conference and was held at The Moody Church, in downtown Chicago, near the Moody Bible Institute college. The main theme of this conference was “Clashing with the truth of the gospel.” The speakers were Pastor Greg Krumes, Pastor of our church Pawel Chojecki and Joe Losiak. A particularly moving lecture was given by Pastor Greg, who supported Joe Losiak on his first missionary trip to Poland in the 1970s and has been serving Jesus assiduously for decades.  [Lecture 1] [Lecture 2] [Lecture 3] [Report]

Meeting at the home of Tadeusz and Iwona in Chicago, May 27, 2023.

On Saturday evening we met at the home of Tadeusz and Iwona, Poles living on the outskirts of Chicago. Dozens of people from various local Bible churches came to this open Polish home. The evening was spent talking, sharing a meal, singing and praying.

Meeting with the Polish community at the Polish Christian Center Chicago, May 28, 2023.

The next day, everyone attended a Sunday meeting at the Polish Christian Center in Chicago, where Pastor Chojecki delivered a fiery sermon saying that in evangelism one should go beyond the usual patterns. The sermon has already been viewed online by several thousand people. We experienced the delight of God while praying and singing together. [Sermon]

Meeting with David and Donalyn Bratton, American missionaries

After arriving in Florida, we settled in Orlando, where Joe and Anna Losiak opened the thresholds of their home and their hearts to us. There we had the privilege of meeting David and Donalyn Bratton – missionaries who in 1976 went to Poland on a mission to train leaders of Fr. Blachnicki’s Light-Life Oasis Movement. For two years they stayed in Lublin, where today the headquarters of the New Covenant Church in Lublin and the Go Against the Tide TV are located.

The second meeting with Mr. and Mrs. Bratton took place in their home and was an opportunity to travel back to the time of Fr. Blachnicki’s movement. Mr. and Mrs. Bratton told us many stories from their Christian life, and shared memories of their stay in Lublin, Poland in the 1970s. We also learned that David was a chaplain to famous American sports teams.

Their courage to preach the gospel in the then communist state inspired us to even greater devotion to God. Pastor Pawel Chojecki and his wife, Marzena, expressed special gratitude to them, because indirectly, through the mission of Joe Losiak and Mr. and Mrs. Bratton, they heard the gospel! [Report]

Meeting with the Polish community at Northland Church in Orlando, June 3, 2023.

Another meeting with the Polish community, in Orlando, Florida, took the form of a conference. It was attended by Dr. Jim Henry, former president of the Southern Baptists in the US, Dr. Grant C. Richison, pastor of one of the largest Baptist churches in Canada, Dr. Josh Laxton, pastor of Northland Church, and Pastor Pawel Chojecki. In the evening of the same day, we attended the Northland Church service. The day’s teaching was based on the hugely popular Broadway musical “Alexander Hamilton,” which tells the story of one of the founding fathers of the United States. [Lecture 1] [Lecture 2] [Lecture 3] [Report]

Visit to Live Oaks Community Church in The Villages, Florida and meeting with Zbigniew Zukowski, June 4, 2023.

The following Sunday, at the invitation of Mr. and Mrs. Bratton, we attended the Sunday meeting of the American Live Oaks Community Church. We received a very warm welcome! We were also captivated by the very warm and family atmosphere. There we also met with communist-era oppositionist Zbigniew Zukowski, who appears on Go Against the Tide TV.  Mr. Zukowski currently lives in Florida. [Report]

Meeting with the Polonia at Grace Community Church in Sarasota, Florida, June 4, 2023.

The last meeting with the Polonia took place in Sarasota on the Gulf of Mexico. On that day, a lecture entitled “How to reverse the fate of Poland and Polonia?” was delivered by Pastor Pawel Chojecki. [Lecture]

Meeting with Gus Davies, pastor of Northland Church in Orlando

At Northland Church in Orlando, we met a remarkable man – Pastor Gus Davies, whom Joe and Anna Losiak invited to their home. Pastor Gus, who was born in Sierra Leone, Africa, told us a moving testimony of his conversion and service to Jesus in West African countries and later in the US. Such stories are remembered for the rest of one’s life! 

Verdict in pastor’s trial, June 5, 2023.

The visit to the United States of America took place in the shadow and context of the trial of Pastor Pawel Chojecki. During his stay in the U.S., on June 5 the Court of Appeals in Lublin handed down a final verdict sentencing the pastor of the New Covenant Church in Lublin and editor-in-chief of the Go Against the Tide TV – the largest Christian television station in Poland – to 8 months of restriction of liberty in the form of community service. Pastor Chojecki was convicted of criticizing the Catholic Church and the Polish president.

The pastor announced an appeal to the European Court of Justice in Strasbourg, calling the verdict a violation of freedom of speech and freedom of religion and a judicial crime along the lines of what is happening in Russia, Belarus and Communist China. Seeing Poland’s slide toward religious authoritarianism, the pastor announced a run for the 2025 presidential election. [Read more…]

Baptism of Michael from Calgary, Sarasota, Florida

This unpleasant moment related to the verdict on Pastor Chojecki did not prevent us from rejoicing in God’s grace and blessing. God lifted us up and made Himself known to us at all times. One such moment was the baptism of a newborn member of our team – Michael from Canada. To baptize him, we drove all the way to the Gulf of Mexico near Sarasota. We were greeted by the setting sun and a wide sandy beach. In such natural circumstances, Michael showed that he wanted to follow Jesus. [Report]

Return to Poland

On June 6, 2023, it was time to part ways. We had known each other before with Joe and Anna Losiak, but it wasn’t until we moved into their home, had long conversations, shared meals and joint ventures that we became as close as family.

God has put wonderful people in our path at every turn. “Accidentally” meeting a stewardess on an airplane who turned out to be a Christian or “accidentally” meeting a Polish woman in a store in Orlando open to the gospel are just a few examples of this divine action!

So we returned to Poland full of enthusiasm and inspiration, which we drew from the country of free, brave and dedicated people!

To be continued…

Missionary Joe Losiak – son of Polish immigrants in Chicago who at the age of 14 understood and accepted the wonderful good news of free salvation in Jesus. He prayed that his parents’ homeland, dominated by Catholicism, would hear the gospel. He did not suspect that God would allow him to play a great role in this. It was thanks to him that the most effective method of evangelization of the 20th century came to Poland. He introduced Cardinal Wojtyla to it, and then Father Blachnicki, whose Oasis movement spread it and used it effectively. He has been coming to Poland every year for many years, because he still dreams of Jesus’ revolution in our country. He met Pastor Paul Chojecki for the first time a year ago. They complement each other very well in the work of evangelization, and in a few months they have already managed to complete several projects. The publishing house Against the Tide has just released the book “Jesus Revolution. Discipleship to the Full” by Joe Losiak.

Pastor Pawel Chojecki – pastor of the New Covenant Church in Lublin and founder and editor-in-chief of the TV channel, the monthly magazine “Go Against the Tide” and the publishing house “Against the Tide”. Several years ago, he initiated the Megachurch Project, an initiative to evangelize Poland based on four pillars: strong local churches, modern media, a Christian university and Christians in politics. In June 2022, together with the rector of the Irpen Bible Seminary, Pastor Dr. Igor Yaremchuk, they established the Polish-Ukrainian Bible Institute in Lublin.

Everything we have achieved so far has been made possible by the blessing of God, the generosity and support of our audiences, and the hard work of a talented and close-knit team. We do not receive subsidies from the government, political parties, corporations or any other pressure groups. It is because of this that we can operate completely independently and have so much success in reaching the Polish people with the truth.

Polish Pastor has been convicted. He announces presidential run!

By
Against the Tide TV
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After four years of investigation and trial, the founder of the Go Against the Tide TV channel and pastor of the New Covenant Church in Lublin, Poland, Pawel Chojecki has been convicted. The Court of Appeals in Lublin upheld the verdict of the court of first instance, imposing a sentence of 8 months of restriction of liberty in the form of community service. The pastor was also ordered to pay the costs of both instances. Under the Polish system, Pastor Chojecki can no longer appeal the verdict. The case will be referred to international institutions for consideration. The trial has appalled honest Poles. As a result of this outrage over the lack of freedom of speech and religion in Poland, the “Going for Freedom” movement was formed. After the verdict was announced, Pastor Chojecki announced that the “Going for Freedom” social movement would field a candidate in the 2025 presidential election.

With the success of the Go Against the Tide TV in 2016, the campaign against Pastor Chojecki, his family and the church began. The hecklers tried to intimidate the pastor, made death threats against him and his family, harassed him with slander on the Internet, and set up groups to destroy Go Against the Tide TV and the New Covenant Church in Lublin. There were also physical attacks on the Church, billboards or cars of people working at the TV station. The prosecutor’s office consistently failed to identify the perpetrators and dropped the cases. The hecklers threatened to mount a lawsuit against Pastor Chojecki. And indeed, in 2019, the Lublin prosecutor’s office, which is subordinate to Minister Ziobro, began proceedings against the pastor on the basis of short clippings from his sermons and programs featuring the pastor. The clippings were described with anti-Semitic and offensive titles. From more than 1,000 hours of programs, the prosecutor’s office selected a few words to draw up a curious indictment based on them. It’s hard to believe, but the pastor was accused of … praising the initiation of a war of aggression against North Korea! It is a well-known fact that this war has been going on since 1950…. In addition, the pastor was also charged with insulting the Polish nation, insulting President Andrzej Duda, insulting the religious feelings of Catholics and insulting Catholic objects of religious honor. The pastor’s alleged guilt consisted, among other things, of saying that in the eyes of God, who paid for our salvation with the blood of his only Son Jesus Christ, Catholic sacraments and attempts to earn salvation with them are “like stinking dung.” The person who appeared to the children at Fatima was called a phantom by the pastor, and this, according to prosecutor Urban and first instance judge Andrew Klimkowski, is a crime.

Testifying in favor of the pastor in the appeal proceedings were former priest – and later pastor – George, pastor and psychologist Ireneusz Dawidowicz, and member of the Presidium of the Council of the Baptist Church in Poland Pastor Henryk Skrzypkowski. They all stood in solidarity with Pastor Chojecki’s biblical views in conflict with the false teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. The Catholic Episcopate of Poland also commented on the trial, whose letter said this about Pastor Chojecki’s views and language: “These types of expressions: strong, blunt, offensive, were used in religious polemics in the 16th century. However, this type of wording, five hundred years after the Reformation began, is no longer used by preachers, theologians, clergy and followers of Christ in many strands of Christianity. […] The Roman Catholic Church cares about good relations with other churches and religious communities in Poland. It cares about friendly and fraternal relations. However, not all Christian communities today choose to participate, even minimally, in the ecumenical movement.”

Outrage at the harassment by the prosecutor’s office and the courts of Pastor Chojecki was expressed by many representatives of the media, politics and religion from Poland and abroad. Among them were editor Hanna Shen, editor Eli Barbur, editor Eliza Michalik, attorney Artur Nowak, attorney Danuta Wawrowska, Prof. Tadeusz Bartoś, Prof. Krzysztof Kilian, Jaroslaw Makowski, Mikolaj Rykowski, Jerzy Dajuk, pastor Leszek Czyż, pastor Marcin Knapik, MP Artur Dziambor, MP Paweł Szramka, MP Andrzej Sosnierz, MP Lech Kołakowski. Voices from abroad on Pastor Chojecki’s side included missionary Joe Losiak, Pastor Bob Kraft, Jon Stemkoski (director of the Celebrant Singers), Art Thompson, Judge John McClellan Marshall, Pastor Matthew Shea, former Finnish Interior Minister Päivi Räsänen, among others.

After the verdict was announced, Pastor Chojecki commented:

“I would like to thank Mr. Judge Wojciech Zaręba for this verdict. This is a clear message to Poland and the world. […] This verdict shows the limits of our freedom – or rather, our slavery. […] It is not an exaggeration when I say about the system of catocommunism and that we are just going for freedom. […] Our “Going for Freedom” movement has a clear goal – to change Poland. And from here I would like to announce that as a result of what has happened around this process, this stirring of people of good will who do not reconcile themselves to the despotism in Poland, to slavery, to the privileging of Catholic bishops – we are going for freedom also in the political sphere. […] In 2025 – unless God decides otherwise – we will put up our candidate for president. […] We want to end slavery for all Poles. So help us God!”

Thanking all those who refuse to accept the taking away of Poles’ freedom of speech and religion, he announced that the aftermath of this scandalous process will be the further building of the “Going for Freedom” social movement, so that in 2025 the freedom and Protestant circles can field a candidate for the presidential elections. “In 1980, we began the road to freedom, but the collusion of Catholic bishops with communist criminals stopped us halfway. Today, a young generation has grown up that no longer wants a hybrid of freedom, it wants a normal just state of Free Poles. Such a state is our goal. Together we will complete the work of Solidarity!”

Outside the court during the hearings, many people gathered with slogans “Freedom of speech” and “Support Pastor Chojecki.”

Le pasteur Chojecki condamné. Il annonce sa candidature aux élections.

By
Against the Tide TV
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Après quatre ans d’enquête et de procès, le fondateur de la chaîneTelewizjaIdźPodPrąd et pasteur de l’Église NowegoPrzymierza à Lublin, Paweł Chojecki, a été condamné. La Cour d’appel de Lublin a confirmé le verdict du tribunal de première instance, prononçant une peine de 8 mois de restrictions de liberté sous forme de travaux d’intérêt général. Le pasteur a également été condamné à payer les frais de procédure dans les deux instances. Selon le système judiciaire polonais, le pasteur Chojecki ne peut plus faire appel de ce jugement. L’affaire sera soumise à l’examen des institutions internationales. Ce procès a consterné les Polonais qui sont honnêtes. En réaction à cette indignation face à la violation de la liberté d’expression et de religion en Pologne, le mouvement “Idziemy po wolność” (“Allons pour la liberté”) est né. Après l’annonce du verdict, le pasteur Chojecki a annoncé que le mouvement social “Idziemy po wolność” présenterait son candidat aux élections présidentielles de 2025.

(SOUS-TITRES ANGLAIS)

Suivant le succès de TelewizjaIdźPodPrąden 2016, une campagne de persécution a été lancée contre le pasteur Chojecki, sa famille et son Église. Les harceleurs ont tenté d’intimider le pasteur, lui ont fait des menaces de mort ainsi qu’à sa famille, l’ont diffamé en ligne, ont créé des groupes visant à détruire TelewizjaIdźPodPrąd et l’Église NowegoPrzymierza à Lublin. Durant cette période, des attaques physiques ont également été perpétrées contre l’Église, les panneaux publicitaires et les voitures appartenant aux personnes travaillant à la télévision. Le bureau du procureura systématiquement échoué à identifier les coupables et a abandonné les poursuites. Les harceleurs ont menacé de monter un procès contre le pasteur Chojecki, et en effet, en 2019, le bureau du procureur de Lublin, sous la direction du ministre Ziobro, a engagé des poursuites contre le pasteur sur la base de courts extraits de ses sermons et de ses programmes télévisés. Les extraits étaient décrits par des titres à caractère antisémite et insultant. Parmi plus de 1 000 heures de programmes, le bureau du procureurn’a sélectionné que quelques mots pour établir un acte d’accusation grotesque. Difficile à croire, mais le pasteur a été accusé de… faire l’éloge du déclenchement d’une guerre d’agression contre la Corée du Nord ! Il est bien connu que cette guerre dure depuis 1950… De plus, le pasteur a également été accusé d’outrage envers la nation polonaise, d’outrage envers le président Andrzej Duda, d’outrage aux sentiments religieux des catholiques et d’outrage envers des objets de culte catholiques. Le soi-disant crime du pasteur résidait, entre autres, dans le fait d’avoir déclaré que, aux yeux de Dieu, qui a payé notre salut par le sang de son seul Fils, Jésus-Christ, les sacrements catholiques et les tentatives de les mériter sont “comme du fumier puant”. Le pasteur a également qualifié la personne qui s’est manifestée aux enfants de Fatima d’”apparition”, ce qui, selon le procureur Urban et le juge de première instance, Andrzej Klimkowski, constitue un crime.

Lors de la procédure d’appel, l’ancien prêtre – puis pasteur – Jerzy, le pasteur et psychologue IreneuszDawidowicz, ainsi que le membre du Présidium du Conseil de l’Église des Chrétiens Baptistes de Pologne, le pasteur Henryk Skrzypkowski, ont témoigné en faveur du pasteur. Ils ont tous exprimé leur solidarité avec les opinions bibliques du pasteur Chojecki dans son conflit avec les fausses doctrines de l’Église catholique. L’épiscopat catholique polonais s’est également prononcé sur l’affaire du procès, et dans sa lettre, a écrit ceci concernant les opinions et le langage du pasteur Chojecki : “Ce type de qualifications – fortes, directes, offensantes – était utilisé dans la polémique religieuse au XVIe siècle. Cependant, après cinq cents ans depuis le début de la Réforme, ce type de formulations n’est plus utilisé par les prédicateurs, les théologiens, les ecclésiastiques et les fidèles du Christ dans de nombreux courants du christianisme. […] L’Église catholique romaine attache de l’importance à avoir de bonnes relations avec les autres Églises et communautés religieuses en Pologne. Elle aspire à des relations amicales et fraternelles. Cependant, pas toutes les communautés chrétiennes décident aujourd’hui de participer, même de manière minimale, au mouvement œcuménique.”

Suivant l’annonce du verdict, le pasteur Chojecki a commenté en disant : “Je tiens à remercier le juge Wojciech Zaręba pour ce jugement. C’est un message clair pour la Pologne et le monde. […] Ce verdict montre les limites de notre liberté – ou plutôt de notre servitude. […] Ce n’est pas une exagérationlorsque je parle du système catocommunisteet du fait que nous ne faisons que commencer à lutter pour la liberté. […] Notre mouvement ‘Idziemy po wolność’ (‘’Allons pour la liberté’’) a un objectif clair – changer la Pologne. Et de cet endroit, je souhaite annoncer qu’en raison de ce qui s’est passé autour de ce procès, de cette mobilisation de personnes de bonne volonté qui ne tolèrent pas le despotisme en Pologne, la servitude, les privilèges des évêques catholiques – nous allons également vers la liberté sur le plan politique. […] En 2025 – à moins que Dieu décide autrement – nous présenterons notre candidat à la présidence. […] Nous voulons mettre fin à la servitude pour tous les Polonais. Que Dieu nous vienne enaide!”

En remerciant tous ceux qui refusent de priver les Polonais de leur liberté d’expression et de religion, il a annoncé que le scandaleux procès serait suivi par la poursuite du développementdu mouvement social “Idziemy po wolność” (‘’Allons pour la liberté’’), afin que, d’ici 2025, les communautés supportant la liberté ainsi que les protestants puissent présenter un candidat aux élections présidentielles. En 1980, nous avons entamé le chemin vers la liberté, mais la collusion entre les évêques catholiques et les criminels communistes nous a arrêtés à mi-chemin. Aujourd’hui, une jeune génération a grandi et ne veut plus d’un hybride de la liberté, mais veut un État juste pour les Polonais libres. Cet État est notre objectif. Ensemble, nous achèverons l’œuvre de “Solidarność” !

De nombreuses personnes se sont rassemblées devant le tribunal lors des audiences avec des slogans tels que “Liberté d’expression”, “Soutenez le pasteur Chojecki”.

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