A Polish-Canadian pastor jailed for conducting church services in Calgary, Alberta, in violation of COVID-19 restrictions is now saying he won’t comply with a judge’s order that he repeats what amounts to establishment views of medical experts regarding the virus.
Pastor Artur Pawlowski was handed the order by Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Adam Germain and was also given 18 months of probation during sentencing on Friday, Fox News reported.
“The ruling is the latest development in Alberta’s ongoing legal battle against Pawlowski, who faced a civil contempt charge for holding church services in violation of a court order forbidding organizing, promoting or attending an ‘illegal public gathering,'” the network noted.
“He faced another contempt charge for repeatedly ejecting armed officials attempting to inspect his sanctuary for COVID-19 compliance, for which he first drew international attention,” Fox News added.
In his order, Germain, who also expressed contempt for Pawlowski’s airing of his grievances during appearances in the United States, specified what he expected of the pastor.
“Pastor Pawlowski oozes hubris, while relishing in his notoriety,” he noted in his ruling, adding that would not follow prosecutors’ lead in leveling jail time for Pawlowski because serving the 21-day sentence “would be a slap on the wrist that will make him a martyr.”
“The final term of his probation order will be that when he is exercising his right of free speech and speaking against [Alberta Health Services] Health Orders and AHS health recommendations, in a public gathering or public forum (including electronic social media), he must indicate in his communications the following,” the judge wrote, going on to add a script for Pawlowski to read and follow even during his sermons.
“I am also aware that the views I am expressing to you on this occasion may not be views held by the majority of medical experts in Alberta. While I may disagree with them, I am obliged to inform you that the majority of medical experts favour social distancing, mask-wearing, and avoiding large crowds to reduce the spread of COVID-19,” the script says.
“Most medical experts also support participation in a vaccination program unless for a valid religious or medical reason you cannot be vaccinated. Vaccinations have been shown statistically to save lives and to reduce the severity of COVID-19 symptoms,” it adds.
In a follow-up interview with Fox News, Pawlowski bashed the judge and his sanction, which he describes as “unconstitutional,” “illegal,” and akin to “compelled speech like in China and North Korea.”
https://conservativebrief.com/defiant-canadian-pastor-52938/