Former Vatican diplomat, facing abuse charge before Vatican court, unlikely to be extradited

May 27, 2015

Prosecutors in Poland and the Dominican Republic have recognized that it is unlikely they will be able to bring charges against Jozef Wesolowski, the laicized archbishop and former Vatican diplomat, on sex-abuse charges.

Wesolowski currently faces criminal charges before a Vatican tribunal. He has already been convicted by a canonical court, which stripped him of his clerical status. He is living under house arrest at the Vatican until his case is decided.

Wesolowski is charged with molesting boys in the Dominican Republic, where he served as papal nuncio. He also faces charges in his native Poland. But prosecutors in both countries told a May 27 news conference that it would be difficult to arrange his extradition.

Last December, the Dominican prosecutor handling the Wesolowski case said that he is satisfied, for now, with the Vatican’s handling of the former nuncio. The Polish prosecutor, also in December, announced that he has suspended work on the case.

 

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Further information:

• Extradition of ex-Vatican envoy abused Dominican boys ‘difficult’ (Dominican Today)
• Dominican prosecutor pleased with Vatican's handling of case against former nuncio (CWN, 12/2/14)
• Polish prosecutor halts case against former papal nuncio (CWN, 12/22/14)