Offending religious feelings (Poland)

The European Court of Human Rights has also allowed other blasphemy laws under margin of appreciation doctrine, as individual countries have broad ability to set moral standards.

In 2009 she was finally acquitted after lengthy legal proceedings, due to the court not finding an intent to offend religious feelings.

The European Court of Human Rights ruled in 2022 that the conviction violated Article 10 of the ECHR and ordered the state of Poland to pay Rabczewska €10,000 in compensation.

[6] In 2015, Robert Biedroń, mayor of Słupsk, was investigated for removing a portrait of John Paul II from his office after PiS activists reported him for allegedly offending religious feelings.

He had held an ecumenical, LGBT-inclusive religious service in connection with Warsaw's 2019 Equality Parade, which was criticized by the Catholic Episcopal Conference of Poland and Law and Justice politicians.

[9][10] In June 2021 pastor Paweł Chojecki, editor-in-chief of Against the Tide TV, has been tried for insulting the religious feelings of Catholics.

[13] In October 2022, they submitted a citizens' legislative initiative for the tougher blasphemy laws with close to 400,000 signatures to parliament.

Lawyers have noted that it is excessively vague, not stating what actions count as "offending religious feelings", leading some to call for repeal of the law.

Biedroń added that the law and arrest of Podleśna made Poland internationally "famous for the idiotic attitude of today's rulers who go after artists and those who enjoy freedom of speech".