Adam “Nergal” Darski of Behemoth Convicted Of “Offending Religious Feelings” In Poland


According to Notes From Poland, Adam “Nergal” Darski, leader of the controversial theatrical Death Metal band Behemoth has been convicted for offending religious feelings by a court in Warsaw. The charges stemmed from an image the Polish musician posted on social media showing a foot standing on a picture of the Virgin Mary during a music video fro Nergal’s side band, Me And That Man in 2020. Darski was ordered to pay a fine of 15,000 złoty (approximately $4,000) and court costs of almost 3,500 zloty (approximately $942). However, since Darski has contested the judgement, the case will now go to trial.

After Darski shared the image on his social media in September 2019, an ultraconservative legal group, Ordo Iuris, and an organization called the Patriotic Society (Towarzystwo Patriotyczne) notified prosecutors that Darski had “offended the religious feelings of four people,” including a local politician from Poland’s conservative ruling coalition.

 

“In the course of proceedings, the aggrieved parties were questioned and they clearly stated that their religious feelings were offended,” said the spokeswoman for Warsaw district prosecutor’s office, Aleksandra Skrzyniarz.

 

Prosecutors also consulted an expert in religious studies, whose “opinion clearly concludes that treading with a shoe on the image of the Mother of God is an offence against religious feelings,” Skrzyniarz added.

 

Article 196 of Poland’s penal code says that “Whoever offends the religious feelings of other persons by publicly insulting an object of religious worship, or a place designated for public religious ceremonies, is liable to pay a fine, have his or her liberty limited, or be deprived of his or her liberty for a period of up to two years.”

 

Amnesty International has previously called on the Polish authorities to repeal or amend legal provisions, such as article 196 of the Criminal Code, that criminalize statements protected by the right to freedom of expression.

 

According to Human Rights Watch, international human rights law permits states to impose certain restrictions on the exercise of the right to freedom of expression only if such restrictions are provided by law and are demonstrably necessary and proportionate for the protection of certain specified public interests (national security, public order, protection of health or morals) or for the protection of the rights of others (including the right to protection against discrimination).

 

Nergal is a frequent target of religious right in his homeland of Poland and has evaded prison many times. We’ll keep following this news as it develops.

 

Metal musician Nergal convicted in Poland for “offending religious feelings” but contests ruling