Information Note on the Court’s case-law 227
March 2019
Cupiał v. Poland (communicated case) - 67414/11
Article 9
Article 9-1
Freedom of religion
Criminal conviction for subjecting children to purportedly excessive religious practices: communicated
Article 2 of Protocol No. 1
Respect for parents' religious convictions
Criminal conviction for subjecting children to purportedly excessive religious practices: communicated
The applicant was charged with committing acts of domestic violence, namely psychological abuse of his three children. During the criminal proceedings the courts established that the applicant, a person of deep Catholic convictions, had subjected his children to allegedly excessive religious practices. The courts of two instances concluded that his actions, including, inter alia, waking his children up at night in order to conduct prayers, forcing them to confess their sins publicly and requiring them to take their meals at set times, had amounted to psychological abuse and had sentenced him to one year of imprisonment stayed for three years.
The applicant complains that he was convicted based on his religious beliefs and that he had been prevented from raising his children in compliance with those beliefs.
Communicated under Articles 6, 8, 9 and 14 of the Convention and Article 2 of Protocol No. 1.
© Council of Europe/European Court of Human Rights
This summary by the Registry does not bind the Court.
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