Poland’s conservative premier supports the death penalty

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has surprisingly spoken in favor of the death penalty and admitted he doesn’t share the view of the Roman Catholic Church on the matter.

This seemed to be a view that was shared only by leaders of the 27 member European Union. Capital punishment is not an option. The opposition criticized his words.

Morawiecki is a Catholic who made the comments on Monday night during a question-and-answer session for Facebook users.

An apparent critic asked Morawiecki if the death penalty could stop him government doing more damage to society. Morawiecki replied that it was a tough question.

“In my opinion, the death penalty should be admissible for the heaviest crimes,” Morawiecki said, stressing that “I do not agree on the matter with the teaching of the church, because I am a supporter of the death penalty.”

He called it a “premature invention”

Monika Falej, an opposition legislator, stated that such views were characteristic of authoritarian rulers.

Poland abolished death penalty in 1997 as it was trying to shed communist-era regulations, and was ready to join the EU. Poland ratified in 2013 a protocol to the European Convention of Human Rights which completely abolishes capital sentences.