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  Swiss Urges Prosecution of Catholic Leaders over Sex Scandal

Jamaica Observer
April 15, 2010

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/sex-scandal_7529656

A Swiss individual is demanding that authorities prosecute Roman Catholic Church leaders in two Swiss dioceses for turning a blind eye to sex abuse by priests, a judicial source said yesterday.

The justice ministry in the eastern Grisons canton is considering whether to open an inquiry following the complaint made against members of the Chur diocese, spokesman Maurus Eckert told AFP.

An identical complaint against another diocese was lodged in the north-western canton of Solothurn, the Swiss agency ATS said.

The plaintiff is not a victim of the alleged paedophile priests, but hopes to set in motion proceedings against clergy accused of knowing about, but not acting on, recently revealed cases of sexual abuse by priests.

In mid-March church leaders in Switzerland said about 60 people had contacted dioceses in the country claiming they were victims of sexual abuse by members of the clergy.

"We humbly admit that we underestimated the extent of the situation," the Swiss bishops conference said in a statement at the end of March. "Those in charge of the diocese and religious orders made mistakes."

The leaders of the Roman Catholic Church in Switzerland called on "all those who have suffered abuse" to approach special clergy offices that deal with such complaints and "if the need arises, to press charges".



 
 

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