The Court of Appeals in Lublin today postponed the verdict in the case of Pastor Pawel Chojecki, editor-in-chief of the Go Against the Tide TV station, in his trial for words including those insulting the religious feelings of Catholics. The verdict is expected to be announced on June 5 at 1:00 p.m. The court did not take into account the fact that Pastor Chojecki has a planned evangelistic trip abroad to the United States at the time. After the hearing, the pastor spoke about his dream: “My dream and plan is that on the basis of my trial […] a socio-political movement will be created for all people who understand freedom […]. We want everyone […] to be able to speak freely about their beliefs, to also be able to criticize my views as they wish. We are going for freedom!”
(english subtitles)
After the hearing, Pastor Chojecki prayed for a while with those who had gathered in great numbers to support him. Many people had T-shirts with signs expressing support for the pastor and banners about freedom. There was also singing and praising God together. Go Against the Tide TV covered the events outside the court live the entire time.
Among the guests on the program were MP Artur Dziambor and MP Pawel Szramka. Both expressed support for the pastor and their belief that he should be acquitted.
“I hope that Pastor Chojecki will be acquitted. I promise that I will strive to ensure that the article that talks about insulting religious feelings [Article 196 of the Penal Code]and other articles about state intervention where there is a civil sphere, to be deleted from Polish law,” said MP Dziambor.
MP Szramka, head of the Good Move party, also spoke about an MP interpellation submitted to the Minister of Justice, in which, among other things, he describes the case of Pastor Chojecki and notes the need to at least relax some of the laws.
In a brief speech after the trial, Pastor Chojecki commented:
“I will not be at the announcement of the verdict. But I hope you will be! […] What the Law and Justice prosecution has done is a disgrace, a crime. […] No more pastor for the next dozen years will be able to boldly speak the truth about superstition, about darkness, about religious abuse […], because he will know that the prosecutor’s office […] can do such wickedness. This cannot be undone. But it can be covered – in two ways. The first is a just verdict. The second is something more – we want to see a free Poland! We want everyone: atheist, Buddhist, Catholic, Orthodox Jehovah’s Witness, Protestant, everyone – to be able to speak freely about their beliefs, to be able to criticize also my views as they wish. […] We are going for freedom!”
“My dream and plan is that on the basis of my process […] there will be a socio-political movement for all people who understand freedom, freedom not only for themselves […]. I think that this process has triggered in every decent person some mechanism of disagreement: “I may not like what he says, I may not agree with him, he may have exaggerated or offended me in places – but what they did to him is a disgrace.” – said Pastor Pavel Chojecki after leaving the court.
Closing statements were delivered in court today. The defenders pointed out the irregularities of the legal aspects of the prosecution and the court of first instance, and stressed that Pastor Chojecki’s trial is the trial of a representative of a religious minority accused for what he preaches. Thus, it also has the dimension of shaping how a religious minority is treated in Poland.
Let’s recall some facts about the trial
The pastor of the New Covenant Church in Lublin and editor-in-chief of the Go Against the Tide TV is on trial for words uttered during sermons and in programs aired on the television he’d 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 pastor addressed all charges in a special statement issued at the beginning of the trial.
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 have been filed to the verdict. In Pastor Chojecki’s defense, the law firm of legal counsel Adam Wroblewski, the law firm of attorney Andrzej Sawicki and the law firm of attorney Andrzej Turczyn filed an appeal. Prosecutor Katarzyna Urban also filed an appeal, seeking a prison sentence.
Missionary Joe Losiak and Pastor Pawel Chojecki are starting a tour of meetings with the American Polish community! The first meeting this Friday, May 26, in Chicago. How has Poland changed? What do we need to evangelize Poland? How to complete the work of “Solidarity”? Come, experience community, get inspired!
Join! FREE ENTRY!
WHO?
Missionary Joe Losiak – the son of Polish immigrants in Chicago, at the age of 14 he 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 is still dreaming 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 “The Jesus Revolution. Full-on discipleship” 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, 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.
There will also be an opportunity to talk with members of the IPP TV editorial board 🙂
“The haters pounced on us when our TV started reaching the street people,” “my church is being hounded,” “the haters and the prosecution have tarnished my good name!” – Pastor Pawel Chojecki said yesterday in the closing speech at his trial. The Court of Appeals in Lublin has postponed the verdict in the case of Pastor Chojecki, editor-in-chief of Go Against the Tide TV. The verdict is expected to be announced on June 5 at 1 p.m. The pastor is on trial for words uttered during sermons and in programs aired on the TV station he’d founded. Among other things, the prosecution has accused him of insulting the religious feelings of Catholics by, for example, calling the Fatima apparition a “phantom.” During yesterday’s fourth session of the Court of Appeals, the closing speeches were delivered. We present Pastor Pavel Chojecki’s speech in its entirety.
Pastor Pawel Chojecki’s closing speech
Your Honor, I was rather silent in the courtroom for most of this trial. The very fact that the prosecutor’s office of the Republic of Poland is dragging a pastor of repute through the courts – and at the age of over 60, I was reaching 60 at the time – is a huge insult to me, to my church and to all Protestants in Poland. We do not accept such treatment of religious minorities.
I didn’t go to any other church to destroy any objects of worship or anything else, I didn’t interrupt anyone’s religious activities. I said what I am obligated to do by the Word of God in my Protestant church and on Protestant television.
The Constitution of the Republic guarantees my freedom of speech, and the role of the organs of justice, the judiciary, is to protect the wronged. Therefore, I want your Honor to know that in this case it is not these people who are wronged – it is my church that is wronged, it is my church that is being dishonored by them. At every public meeting we have, their representatives distribute “dangerous sect” leaflets. They pour fecal matter on [our church headquarters], Mr. Bieganowski was accused of this. They harass a police officer who belongs to our church at his workplace, saying that he is a dangerous person because he belongs to a sect. The auxiliary accuser Bieganowski was prosecuted in this case. The prosecutor’s office hopefully knows about all this. And yet I am the one sitting as a criminal on the defendant’s bench.
Please understand, Your Honor, my emotions. My only crime in life is a couple of traffic fines. I have a good reputation, which is necessary for my profession, as does the High Court. And these people and the prosecutor’s office have tarnished my good name! How can I remain silent! What is going on here is a denial of justice, because they are the ones who turned people against me, they even did it to my grandson, calling him “the son of Beelzebub.” Those who are sitting here threatened me with death. My daughters, they threatened in public to pour acid on them. The address of my residence was pointed out. Where is one of these victims? He even came, when we changed our address, to film where we live, and put it on the Internet, which is a crime, a violation of home privacy. This is how we have been honored for years. It’s us, a religious minority, Protestants in Poland… Pastors said how many bricks they take out of their church buildings.
Never, in my wildest expectations – even knowing that the Polish state is not a state of just, after ’89 – it never even occurred to me that I would sit on the bench of the accused like a criminal, for serving Christ faithfully. So saying that I offended any of these people is a mockery of justice.
As far as my words are concerned, Your Honor can see our television, in which we host Catholic professors, ordinary Catholics, there was even a Catholic bishop with us. And with all of them we talk in the spirit of civic respect, everyone is happy, etc. But please note, as was raised by Counselor Wroblewski, the haters pounced on us when our TV started reaching out to the street people – not to professors, not to theologians. I delivered to the High Court a letter of a murderer, sent from prison. Nothing appealed to him. He read books. He listened to various sermons, there was a pastor in court. But he turned on Go Against the Tide TV and Pastor Chojecki – and it changed his life. The High Court has it on file. I speak to such people. And that I said “fart”? That I said “phantom”? That I said “dung”, quoting the apostle Paul? That is my crime! No honest person would agree with this.
And on the most important issue. We are talking about religion. I think it is God who is the object of religion and worship of Protestants as well as Catholics, Orthodox, etc. Please point out to me one sentence, one word, where I said something against God. As for my intentions, I’m not going to prove them, because my whole life is proof of my intentions. Jesus said: “Are you unable to judge? Judge by the fruits.” See how he lived his life, how he raised his children. Three of my children, university and postgraduate studies, a doctor sits here, a researcher at UMCS. This is my achievement. My personal one. I already have grandchildren. And please see what is happening before the court. Are they criminals, haters, people who attack someone? This is the fruit of my service to Jesus, because of which I am sitting here. Thank you.
„The Roman Catholic Church, in accordance with the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, will support the right of every religion to teach in freedom. […] The matter you Venerable Pastors raise will be dealt with by Council for Ecumenism of the KEP (Commission of Polish Episcopacy) at its meeting this fall. Perhaps the matter will also receive the attention of the Commission for dialogue between the PRE Polish Ecumenical Council) and the KEP, if the representatives of the PRE deem it necessary.” – wrote Bishop Jacek Jezierski of Elbląg, Chairman of the Council for Ecumenism of the KEP. His letter is in response to a letter from the Council of the New Covenant Church in Lublin regarding the trial of Pastor Pawel Chojecki, who is on trial for words including insulting the religious feelings of Catholics. The next hearing – perhaps the last – is on Monday, May 22 at 12:30 pm.
Bishop Jezierski said he had also reviewed a recording attached to the letter showing three pastors from other churches testifying as witnesses in the trial. The pastors said before the court that Pastor Chojecki’s trial acts as an intimidation against other Protestant preachers.
THE LETTER:
Elbląg, 20 May 2023
Dear Pastors,
I have received from the Secretariat of the Polish Bishops’ Conference your letter of May 8 this year. It concerns Pastor Pawel Chojecki, who is defending himself in court because he was accused of insulting religious feelings. I have read the recording attached to the letter concerning the court hearing in this case.
Pastor Pawel Chojecki’s statement is very radical. Specific Catholics could read it as an insult to their religious feelings. The pastor said that religion [by implication: Catholic] and the sacraments are dung.
These types of terms: 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. We address each other calmly, respectfully, respecting each other’s point of view and faith, even though we do not share it.
Every statement should show consideration for its recipients. It can be critical, but must not hurt or offend. This is out of respect for the listeners and recipients of the message.
Freedom of speech involves responsibility for the word, at least in the personal, moral sphere, in conscience. The Roman Catholic Church, in accordance with the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, will support the right of every religion to teach in freedom.
Standing in front of the court building, Pastor Chojecki spoke full of emotion about superstition and darkness in the nation. This is an offensive sentence, or at least an exaggerated one.
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.
Insulting others is not the mission of a Christian prophet. Such an understanding of the prophetic mission is its anachronistic understanding.
The matter that the Venerable Pastors raise will be dealt with at its meeting this fall by the Council for Ecumenism (PRE) of the Polish Episcopacy Commission (KEP). Perhaps, the matter will also be the subject of attention of the Committee for Dialogue of the PRE and the KEP, if representatives of the PRE deem it necessary (deadline: this fall).
With best regards and Christian brotherhood
Jacek Jezierski, Bishop of Elbląg, Chairman of the Council for Ecumenism of the KEP
WATCH Pastor Chojecki’s trial LIVE – May 22, 12:30 pm!
Pastor Pawel Chojecki, pastor of the New Covenant Church in Lublin and editor-in-chief of the Go Against the Tide TV, is on trial for words spoken during sermons and statements on the television station he founded. Among other things, he was charged with insulting the religious feelings of Catholics. In the first instance, the pastor was convicted inconclusively, and an appeal is currently underway. Tomorrow, Monday, May 22, at 12:30 p.m., another – and perhaps the last – hearing will be held before the Court of Appeals in Lublin. If a verdict is rendered, there will be no further possibility of appeal in Poland.
Media representatives and all interested parties are encouraged to get involved in reporting on Pastor Chojecki’s trial and to come to the hearing in person. We also invite you to a protestants’ happening that will take place on May 22 in front of the Lublin Court of Appeals building (Lublin, 1 Obrońców Pokoju Street, 2nd Criminal Division).
The trial of Pastor Pawel Chojecki is coming to a close. On Monday, May 22, at 12:30 p.m., another hearing will be held before the Court of Appeals in Lublin. This may be the last hearing, and there will be no further possibility of appeal from the verdict in Poland. The pastor of the New Covenant Church in Lublin and editor-in-chief of Go Against the Tide TV is on trial for words spoken during sermons and statements on the TV station he founded. Will the pastor be convicted for his words and views, or will the court respect the Polish citizen’s right to freedom of speech and freedom of religion? This case is an important measure of democracy in Poland. We encourage media representatives and all interested parties to get involved in reporting on Pastor Chojecki’s trial and to come to the hearing in person. We also invite you to a protest happening that will take place on May 22 in front of the Lublin Court of Appeals building.
Lublin Court of Appeals II Criminal Division Obrońców Pokoju St. 1 20-950 Lublin
The previous hearing in the trial of Pastor Pavel Chojecki was held on April 13. When the pastor left the court, he said:
„Protestants in Poland are threatened with such trials for speaking the truth about Jesus. This must stop! We are going for freedom!”
SEE REPORT ON THE TESTIMONY OF THREE PASTORS IN THE TRIAL OF ED. CHOJECKI (ENGLISH SUBTITLES):
On April 13, three pastors called as witnesses testified: pastor Henryk Skrzypkowski, member of the Presidium of the Baptist Church Council, pastor of the Baptist church in Chelm, pastor Ireneusz Dawidowicz of the Baptist church in Bialystok, psychologist, vice-president of the „Toward Good Hope” Association, as well a former priest Jerzy, retired pastor of a home church. All of them showed that Pastor Chojecki’s words fit into the accepted framework of pastoral activity and the freedom of religion in force in Poland.
A great many people gathered to support the pastor – not only in the courtroom, but also in front of the court building. Support for the pastor was expressed in slogans such as: „Freedom of speech for everyone,” „Support Pastor Chojecki,” and „We are going for freedom” placed on T-shirts and banners.
Pastor Pavel Chojecki, in a brief speech after leaving the court, said:
„The three pastors today had the opportunity to present the gospel of free salvation, show the superstition and darkness in our nation, show the errors and lead people to the truth of God’s word. This has begun. […] My only „crime” is that I have succeeded in preaching the gospel in Poland. And for this „crime” – if Poland considers it a crime – I am ready to suffer any consequences. I hope you are ready too.”
The gathered audience responded with loud applause.
The pastor of the New Covenant Church in Lublin is on trial for words – a few sentences from sermons and other programs aired on the web TV he runs – that a group of haters and the Law and Justice prosecutor’s office did not like. He was charged with 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.
Recall that the court of first instance sentenced Pastor Chojecki to eight months of restriction of liberty in the form of community service. In addition, the pastor would have to pay legal costs of nearly PLN 21,000. Four appeals have been filed to the verdict. In Pastor Chojecki’s defense, the law firm of legal counsel Adam Wroblewski, the law firm of attorney Andrzej Sawicki and the law firm of attorney Andrzej Turczyn filed an appeal. Prosecutor Katarzyna Urban also filed an appeal, seeking a prison sentence.
Today is World Press Freedom Day. Poland is seen as a free and democratic country. The trial of journalist and pastor Pawel Chojecki shows the true reality of Catholic, post-communist Poland. Here is a report on the testimony of the three pastors in the Lublin Court of Appeals.
Pastor Pawel Chojecki, founder and editor-in-chief of Against the Tide TV, was screened by the Prosecutor’s Office for what he says in the Protestant church he leads and in his journalistic programs. Based on a meticulous combing through hundreds of hours of Pastor’s sermons and journalism, Minister Ziobro’s Lublin Prosecutor’s Office invented a dozen sentences that matched paragraphs restricting freedom of speech in Poland. The bizarre trial, which has been going on for four years, began. The first-instance court sentenced Pastor Chojecki (Judge Andrzej Klimkowski) to eight months of restriction of liberty and payment of more than 20,000 zlotys in legal costs. Pastor and the Prosecutor’s Office have filed appeals. Both Pastor Chojecki wants an acquittal, the Prosecution wants a prison sentence for his words.
In recent days, the Lublin Court of Appeals held a hearing for three pastors who had to explain what Protestants believe. See coverage of the scandal here:
“Currently Ukraine has one of the largest armies in the world. Our country would strengthen NATO,” says Kira Rudik, Ukrainian parliamentarian and chairwoman of the Glos party, in an interview with Against The Tide TV. Asked whether it is possible for Ukraine to join NATO this year or next, she said yes. In the interview, Kira Rudik also talked about the challenge of diplomacy to stop China from supporting Russia on a full scale, as well as the situation of the Ukrainian military, which needs more ammunition and equipment. “We are extremely grateful for the help we receive,” “we are begging allies for fighter jets,” stressed the Ukrainian MP. Asked if the Ukrainian people would survive this difficult situation, she replied: “There is a certain fuel that drives us. This fuel is hope. We still have her.”
WATCH THE INTERVIEW WITH KIRA RUDIK:
Hanna Jazgarska: Hello. This is against the Tide TV. My name is Hanna Jazgarska, and my guest today is Mrs. Kira Rudik, a member of the Ukrainian parliament and the leader of the political party “Glos”. Hello, Mrs. Rudik. This is a pleasure for us to have you again on our TV.
Kira Rudik: Hello, Hannah. Thank you so much for having me. It’s a pleasure being here.
The first topic that I would like to discuss with you is that nowadays, there is a lot of discussion about Ukraine’s ascension to NATO. So, in the light of that, what do you expect from the upcoming summit of NATO members?
Well, first of all, I think it’s a good time to remind everyone that the aim to join EU and NATO is written in the Ukrainian constitution. This is the will of Ukrainian people. And we as politicians just execute on this will. So, of course we need to push for our goals and the expectations from this summit are very high. We hear many skeptics saying that it is impossible for Ukraine to join NATO while the full scale war is taking place. But there are others saying that Ukrainian membership in NATO is the only way to receive the security guarantees that we need to make sure that Putin would not attack us again after we win the war. So of course, our aim and our high end goal for the new summit would be either to receive an invitation to join NATO or to have the paths that everybody would agree on how we will become a member. Recently, Jens Stoltenberg visited Kiev and he made that pretty bold statement saying that all NATO members agree that Ukraine needs to become a part of NATO. However, we need to see further steps on when it’s going to happen. And this is why the expectations for the summit are very high. First of all, I really liked what President Zelensky said in an answer to Ian Stoltenberg’s invitation for himself to visit Vilnius in June. He said, “I will go but I want the invitation to be sent to my country as well.” And if you remember Ukraine’s history, Vilnius was a place where the previous president, Yanukovich, decided to turn the country around and decided to turn the country off joining the EU. And this has cost him his presidency and started the revolution. We hope that Vilnius will now become a place where we will get our future and we are looking forward to having this summit.
Do you think it is possible for Ukraine to become a member of NATO this or next year?
Yes, I do. We understand that it is not a bureaucratic question. It is a political question. Right now, Ukraine has one of the largest armies in the whole world and definitely largest in Europe. We are working according to NATO protocols. We are also working according to NATO standards and we are working with and fighting with NATO weapons. So we are something that would make NATO stronger and we need just to figure out a proper way of us joining the union.
Mrs. Rudik, nowadays Western countries are trying to help Ukraine to the best of their possibilities. However, there is a discussion between some countries on the extent of this help and how do you assess this lack of unity in Western European countries on the transfer of arms and ammunition to Ukraine?
Well, first of all, we are extremely grateful for the help that we are receiving. We would not be able to fight the Russians if not for the help of our Western allies. I want to make it very clear: the bravery and the willingness to protect your country is not enough if you are facing your enemy empty-handed. However, of course, we need to speed up the logistics and the amount of weapons that we are receiving. We are still fighting against one of the largest and strongest armies in the world with the amount of the military production that they can allow themselves still to not to count on the missiles that they are sending our way, not count on their weapons and supplies and even human lives that they’re sparing. We cannot work like this. We cannot fight like it. But we also cannot hope that the motivation and the bravery of our soldiers will compensate for the lack of weapons and supplies. There is a huge difference between the amounts of the capacities that we have. People at the front report that for one showed that Ukrainian artillery can do, the Russians can do ten shots. And you can imagine how terrifying and how hard it is to fight with these amounts.
Let’s move to more international but particular affairs. Lately we’ve seen the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, visit China and talk to the Chinese leader Xi Jinping. And we’ve also seen the talks of President Volodymyr Zelensky to Xi Jinping. And do you think this is a good way to end the war?
First of all, we all understand that China could play a crucial role in the way that the war would end. Since the beginning of a full scale invasion China is the only country of the really dominating ones that did not make a clear statement that this is a war of aggression from the Russian Federation. And they still are calling the war a Ukrainian conflict, which of course is not the proper way to address it. Second, since the beginning of full scale invasion, China was the country that opened their markets to Russia, and is still a major player in buying Russian gas and oil, helping Russia to overcome the sanctions. Also, there are suspicions that China may be supplying a specific path for Russia to continue the military production, but not supplying the weapons just yet. And of course, all Democratic leaders are seeing China as a really strong part that they can become at some point in the war. So their goal the Democratic leadership has right now is to make sure that, first of all, at least China would not be supplying Russia with weapons, but generally that they can put a pressure on Russia to end the war and to restore Ukraine at our sovereign borders. We understand that it is extremely complicated. China is not playing anybody’s hand. They usually play their own hand and this is why they will be doing what is necessary for themselves. The call that President Xi and President Zelensky had was, we think, a good sign because the result of this call was that Ukraine now is sending the ambassador to China. We did not have an ambassador for a while there. And China is sending their representative to Ukraine to get to know more about the war. However, we understand that we are at the beginning of a really, really long path. As for the European discussions with China, well, first of all, we see that there is an attempt to address China’s concerns, but also there is an attempt to call China just to take sides. And it’s not the side of Russia or Ukraine, it sides on whether you are obeying international laws and the fact that they should be obeyed or you are not, or you agree that a larger country can attack a smaller one and just do whatever they want. And I think that will also be a historical decision for China. But they will try not to make it for as long as it would be possible. So right now, we are in a complicated diplomatic situation where we would have to work all together to make sure that we do not push China away, but also that we will not push them to deliver weapons to Russia. It would be critical. On the personal load, of course, we in Ukraine were absolutely shocked with the statements that a Chinese ambassador to France said recently, saying that as the Soviet Union collapsed, both Soviet countries did not have like a real confirmation of their sovereignty, which actually not only calls about Ukraine, it calls about Greece, while Lithuania, Estonia. And how is it even possible that the diplomat can make a statement like that. But it could be something that is also showing us another side of the Chinese view of the world, that there is a place where Russia could still have their influence and that it would be okay to go with it. So I do hope that the diplomatic attempts to hold China off supporting Russia in full scale would be successful.
Let’s talk a little bit about what is going on the battlefield when it comes to what might happen on the battlefield further in during the war and how. What do you expect in the nearest days in terms of the U.S. support and the Ukrainian counterattack?
Well, we are still waiting for the final deliveries of the Western weapons to the front. Another factor that we need to count in preparation of the counter offense is weather. It was just like one month ago when there was snow in Kiev. And this is why you can imagine that the spring of this year is very late. And this has a huge influence on the ability of the troops to move. We are still in the period of rains and there is lots of mud outside. And I cannot even imagine how the weather looks at the battlefield. But I can predict that it’s much better. So this is why these two points are crucial items in preparation for their spring counter offense. We, of course, are trying not to comment anything on tactical and strategic moves that our army would have, until they do it, and our only way right now is to make sure that they get all the support that they need from us, that they need all kinds of weapons, supplies, ammunition, a spring uniform, anything that they may need. And we are working hard to make sure to deliver it to them.
And could you tell us a little bit more about how the Ukrainian nation is feeling? Will the Ukrainian people endure the situation of increasing fatigue and decreasing aid from other countries?
Well, you know, there is a fuel we are running on, and this fuel is hope. And we still have it. We have survived one of the most complicated winters for ourselves since, I don’t know, since the beginning of times. And we are very happy that we were able to make it. We understand that the war may take longer and Putin will be playing a war of attrition. And we need to gather our grit to him to move forward with the same intensity as we were doing before. It’s not news for us that the emotional support may dim. We have seen it in 2014, when the war in Ukraine became a new normal for the world very quickly. But we also understand that right now the situation is different, that the whole world started seeing what we have told everyone for a long time, that Putin is an aggressor, Russia is a country aggressor. There is no ability to appease the aggressor because it will just move forward and forward. And this is why we do hope that the international community will stay with us for a little bit longer and just for us to go through the counter offense and push as hard as possible and as far as possible to regain our territories till the end of this year.
Mrs. Rudik, the last question from me today to you is what would you most like to appeal to Western countries for?
It’s been a year and two months since we have started begging our allies to provide us with the fighter jets, fighter jets that will allow us to fight better in the front and give our military protection from the sky, but also something that will add an additional layer of protection to our peaceful cities. You know, it’s still every other day we’re getting air raid sirens and have to hide in the basements because Russia launches airstrikes against our cities. And you never know when you’re going to bed or if you are going to wake up in the morning. It was just a couple of months ago when they launched an attack on the city of Dnipro, where they killed 46 people in their beds. And this is something that can happen every other day. This is why we need fighter jets. We need an ability to protect our skies. And it’s incredibly hurtful that in a year and two months we were not able to get this call to our allies to make them realize how important and crucial that is. We do hope that at some point we will receive them, because, you know, so many people did not believe that we would receive the Patriot missile systems, then not too many people believe that we would receive the tanks and the tank coalition would be formed. And so right now our goal is fighter jets. And we are doing everything in information and diplomatic direction to get them to Ukraine.
Mrs. Rudik, thank you so much for this conversation. Of course, we’ll do what we can to spread the word as widely as possible. My guest was Mrs. Kira Rudik, a member of the Ukrainian parliament and the leader of the political party “Glos.”Thank you so much for taking your time.
The Court of Appeals in Lublin once again adjourned today the hearing in the case of Pastor Pawel Chojecki, editor-in-chief of the Against the Tide TV, who is on trial for words including insulting the religious feelings of Catholics. The next court session will be held on May 22 at 12:30 p.m. The court rejected Pastor Chojecki’s request to call Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Minister Michał Dworczyk as witnesses. At today’s hearing, however, the three pastors called as witnesses: Pastor Henryk Skrzypkowski member of the Presidium of the Baptist Church Council and pastor of the Baptist Church in Chełm, Pastor Ireneusz Dawidowicz from the Baptist Church in Białystok, psychologist, co-founder and vice-president of the Association “Towards Good Hope” and Jerzy, pastor of the home church, former Catholic priest. They all testified, demonstrating that Pastor Chojecki’s words fit within the accepted framework of pastoral activity and the religious freedom in force in Poland. After leaving the court, Pastor Chojecki commented: “Protestants in Poland are threatened with such trials for speaking the truth about Jesus. This must stop! We are going for freedom!”.
The judge did not allow a live broadcast of the hearing, but agreed to record it. By the decision of the court president, only twenty people, including journalists and reporters, were allowed to enter the courtroom as audience members. Because of this limit, a journalist from the Lublin Courier, among others, was not allowed into the hearing. A great many people who wanted to support the pastor with their presence gathered in the corridor and in front of the court building. Support for the pastor was expressed in slogans such as: “Freedom of speech for everyone,” “Support Pastor Chojecki,” and “We‘re going for freedom” placed on T-shirts and banners.
Pastor Paul Chojecki, in a brief speech after leaving the court, said:
“The three pastors today had the opportunity to present the gospel of free salvation, show the superstition and darkness in our nation, show the errors and lead people to the truth of God’s Word. This has begun. […] My only ‘crime’ is that I succeeded in preaching the gospel in Poland. And for this ‘crime’ – if Poland considers it a crime – I am ready to suffer any consequences. I hope you are too.”
The gathered audience responded with loud applause.
A pastor of the New Covenant Church in Lublin is on trial for words – a few sentences from sermons and other programs aired on the web TV he runs – that a group of hecklers and the Law and Justice prosecutor’s office did not like. He was charged with 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.
Recall that the court of first instance sentenced Pastor Chojecki to eight months of restriction of liberty in the form of community service. In addition, the pastor would have to pay the costs of the proceedings in the amount of nearly PLN 21,000. Four appeals have been filed to the verdict. In Pastor Chojecki’s defense, the law firm of legal counsel Adam Wroblewski, the law firm of attorney Andrzej Sawicki and the law firm of attorney Andrzej Turczyn filed an appeal. Prosecutor Katarzyna Urban also filed an appeal, seeking a prison sentence.
Referring to accusations of insulting the religious feelings of Catholics, Pastor Chojecki points out that as a Protestant he criticizes the dogmas of the Catholic Church, pointing out that they are incompatible with the Bible. As for the accusations of insulting Catholic objects of religious reverence, it must be emphasized that these allegations are also about words – there was no real insulting of objects of Catholic reverence. The pastor addressed all the allegations in the statement.
