Prosecutor criticizes press in case of priest accused of child molesting

Head of the district prosecutor's office in Krosno, Stanislaw Piotrowicz, has issued a statement in which he says that the actions of a priest accused of molesting children "did not include evidence of prohibited behavior." On October 30, the prosecution canceled its investigation into the priest, who had been accused of sexually abusing a number of children. Justifying its decision, the prosecutor's office suggested that the case had been blown up by the press, and referred to letters of support for the priest it had received from his parishioners. During the investigation, 70 witnesses were interviewed, of whom seven described themselves as victims. However, the prosecution deemed their testimonies to be unreliable. The priest is now free to continue his duties, which include teaching religion to local schoolchildren. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 3) M.T.