Last week, the head of the Campaign Against Homophobia – a Polish gay and lesbian organization – was fined by the court for his statement, which, according to the court, was aimed at offending Catholics. Lawyers have doubts as to the course chosen for making the verdict and the qualification of the offence itself.

Robert Biedron – the organization’s chairman was punished for saying that the statements made by Dorota Ekes (which, among others, described homosexuality as a disease) “fully reflect the fascist-nationalist-catholic nature of the witch-hunt carried out against the homosexual community”. The District Court (lower court) in Elblag made the convicting verdict by means of a warrant, without a trail, which is administered in cases, when the evaluation of the offence is not questionable.

Robert Biedron himself learned about the verdict from the media. He pleads not guilty and claims that his statement has not intended to insult believers and that it was taken out of context. He raised an objection against the verdict on the 8th of August. Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights lawyers assisted him in preparing the objection.

For two years now the Campaign Against Homophobia has been carrying out a lawsuit against Dorota Ekes for insulting homosexual individuals.