Judge Rules Canadian Pastor Arrested for Opening Church Must Repeat Coronavirus Message: ‘I Refuse to Do It’

A Christian pastor who grew up under the tyranny of the Soviet Union in Poland is now banned from traveling outside of the Canadian province where he lives, and the judge who heard the case also ordered Artur Pawlowski to read in public a prepared statement on the coronavirus.

Pawlowski and at least nine other Christian pastors in Canada have been charged for opening the doors to their churches for worship services in defiance of lockdown rules in Canada, according to Rebel News.

“Whenever [Pawlowski] says something contrary to government policy, whether it’s in a church sermon or in the media or on Twitter or Facebook, he must immediately read a government drafted script rebutting and rebuking and disclaiming himself,” Rebel News journalist Ezra Levant said in an interview Tuesday on the Glenn Beck radio program. “He must denounce himself immediately after criticizing the government on lockdowns.”

Pawlowski was also placed on 18 months probation, which includes the travel restriction.

Our beloved Canada has fallen completely! Arresting pastors, just like in North Korea and China! Our friend Pastor Tobias Tissen was just arrested in Steinbach, Manitoba.

When authorities do this kind of things we know that the judgement on the land will be very severe! pic.twitter.com/iaLKknuBhJ

— Artur Pawlowski (@ArturPawlowski1) October 19, 2021

Queen’s Bench Justice Adam Germain wrote in his ruling:

The final term of his probation order will be that when he is exercising his right of free speech and speaking against AHS 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:

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. 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.

“I mean it’s unbelievable what is happening to him free, free and democratic society,” Levant said. “I’m not going to do it. I didn’t do it. I refuse to do it.”

Rebel News reported on the pastor’s fate:

The official written decision from Justice Adam Germain regarding the case of Pastor Artur Pawlowski has been released. The document puts in writing some the bizarre statements from the judge, including his suggestion that sending Pastor Artur back to jail, as requested by prosecutors representing Alberta Health Services, would “make him a martyr” and the script Pastor Artur is compelled to read any time he speaks against the official government narrative surrounding COVID-19.

Describing Pastor Artur’s statements to the court as “taunt[ing] me to imprison him,” Justice Germain said that the proposed additional 21 days in jail sought by Alberta Health Services would be a “slap on the wrist that will make him a martyr.” The judge further outlined how Pastor Artur, after being found guilty of contempt, went on a speaking tour in the United States.

According to Justice Germain, Pastor Artur “parlayed his title as a pastor and the fact that he had been arrested for holding a church service into a rally cry that attracted like-minded individuals in the United States who also oppose healthcare measures addressed at combatting COVID-19.”

Pawlowsky’s lawyer Sarah Miller said the justices order is “strange” and “unconstitutional,” according to Fox News:

“As far as I can see or as far as I know it’s completely and utterly new,” Miller told Fox News. “I’ve never heard of any probationary period that has conditions that force specific speech. It seems so unusual and rare.”

“They tell me what I can teach and what I can’t do,” Pawlowsky said. “Every time I want to address people, they tell me I have to lie first to deliver my message. It’s China. It’s North Korea.”

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