Bishop Andrzej Jez has been convicted in Poland for failing to report the sexual abuse of minors by two priests within his diocese. The verdict, delivered by a court in Tarnow on Thursday, marks the most significant case of its kind to involve a Catholic Church leader in the country. Jez was sentenced to two years of restriction of liberty, to be served through salary deductions, though the ruling is not yet final.
Jez pleaded not guilty to the charges. His defense cited ambiguity in criminal regulations and the specific circumstances of the cases as reasons for the delay in reporting, according to PAP news agency. The conviction is the latest development in a series of clergy abuse scandals that have significantly impacted public trust in the Catholic Church in Poland, a nation with historically strong Catholic traditions.
Recent years have seen other high-profile cases, including the resignation of a bishop and an archbishop in 2024 over their handling of abuse allegations. Public confidence in the church has seen a marked decline, with a 2025 poll indicating that only 35% of Poles trust the institution, a significant drop from 58% in 2016.
Lilianna Kupaj, who was a victim of sexual abuse by another priest from the Tarnow diocese at the age of eight, spoke to the press outside the courtroom. The ongoing revelations and convictions continue to challenge the church's authority and influence in Polish society.