Jehovah’s Witnesses Ask Royal Commission for Judicial Review
The Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses (Australia) has filed a judicial review against the Royal Commission of Inquiry on Abuse in Caregiving.
The group is seeking a new trial along with the High Court’s declaration that the Church of Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW) is not responsible for the care of children, youth and vulnerable people.
The JW Congregation believes it is outside the terms of the Royal Commission’s terms of reference, according to a commission statement.
The report notes that the group claims there are no instances of religious abuse of Jehovah’s Witnesses within the scope of its investigation. This is based on evidence at the Royal Commission, along with several other declarations on the Royal Commission process.
The committee declined to comment further as the matter is currently being contested in court.
However, it said it has emailed JW abuse victims and said it is treating judicial review requests as a priority. The European Commission also acknowledged that the news could hurt them, and said it had support.
survivors say
Shane Mechen of the survivors group JW for Justice said the group’s legal action to waive statewide investigations was immoral and would not work.
“They don’t care about the abused person. They only care about their name,” he said.
The argument was based on JW’s lack of brick-and-mortar facilities for young people, but that doesn’t mean there was no interaction, Meechin said.
“It’s a shock to the gut.” [but] We knew it was coming, that’s what they do all the time.
“They have not succeeded in crushing the committees that include them.”
Jehovah’s Witnesses Church says
Spokesperson Tom Pesipaikovsky said Jehovah’s Witnesses have been cooperating with the commission since 2019 and “have consistently explained that the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses is not within the scope of this investigation.” rice field.
Mr Pesipaikovsky said he took the case to the High Court because “despite repeated requests, the commission failed to provide justification as to why it did not agree”.
It was not made clear whether this meant that there had been no abuse that could have fallen within the scope of the Royal Commission.
But the JW Church in Australia cannot claim such a thing.
During the Australian Royal Commission of Inquiry on Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 70 victims came forward claiming abuse in Jehovah’s Witness institutions.
Survivor network view
Survivor Network spokesman Steve Goodlas said his concern was that “other churches are lagging behind” in calling for judicial review.
“The church learns from each investigation and becomes more sophisticated as it progresses.”
The network had already raised concerns that the commission would be constrained when investigating institutional abuse in brick-and-mortar stores.
But courts have upheld a historic case of child abuse in which institutional staff abused children in their own homes, Goodlas said.
Role of the Catholic Church
New Zealand’s Catholic bishops and congregational leaders are not involved in judicial review of matters related to the Royal Commission of Inquiry on Abuse in Care, according to a statement from the New Zealand Bishops’ Conference.
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https://cathnews.co.nz/2023/06/08/royal-commission-scope-questioned-in-jehovahs-witnesses-judicial-review/ Jehovah’s Witnesses Ask Royal Commission for Judicial Review