We here at Rue Morgue Records are staunch believers in the separation of Church & State. And whilst we are based in a country which largely adheres to this edict, many others don’t. Many others are persecuted and prosecuted for their beliefs and or lack of beliefs. In Poland, for example, there has been a balls to the wall witch-hunt for Behemoth’s Adam Darski for many, many years. This needs to stop.
Darski, better known as Nergal, has set up a GoFundMe page to raise some funds to assist with massive legal costs the befall him and other artists against nonsensical ‘blasphemy’ charges(!!!)
Rue Morgue Records has donated to the fund and we urge you to help in any way you can.
My name is Nergal and I am an artist from Poland. For over a decade I have been confronted with numerous attempts to permanently destroy my career on the basis that I have harmed ‘religious feelings’. It sounds absurd and I can assure you, it is.
Many Polish artists, including myself, have been dragged into court rooms, at our own significant costs, to defend ourselves against nonsensical blasphemy laws made by tenuous Politicans. Their intent is to censor anyone who does not conform to the archaic religious laws of our country. The time has come for Polish artists to fight back – join us in the Ordo Blasfemia.
Your donation will help fund a sustainable legal challenge to squash the existing and incoming bogus prosecutions. Help us reach the target so we can distribute to other artists facing their own legal challenges.
If you are unable to donate – thank you for your support. Please keep checking back in and sharing updates!
Below is my timeline of events:
“The Bible Case”
February 2008 – March 2015
I. February 2008
First Prosecution’s indictment against Nergal, case of insulting religious feelings
II. June – August 2011
First trial, judgement of the Court of First Instance. Found Innocent.
III. October 2012
Judgement of the Polish Supreme Court.
Resolution of the legal issue about insulting religious feelings
IV. January 2013
Judgement of the Court of Appeal
Decision about retrial – the case is referred back to the first instance
V. March – June 2013
Retrial, New judgement of the Court of First Instance. Found Innocent.
VI. February 2014
Judgement of the Court of Appeal. Judgement upheld.
VII. March 2015
Judgement of the Polish Supreme Court. Judgement upheld.
Links:
http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=53826
https://blabbermouth.net/news/court-rules-against-behemoth-frontman-in-bible-tearing-case/
http://archiwum.thenews.pl/1/9/Artykul/55144,Satanist-rock-star-to-stay-on-talent-show
“The Polish Emblem Case”
August 2016 – Present
I. August 2016
Case opens, accused of insulting the Polish emblem
II. December 2017 – September 2018
First trial, judgement of the Court of First Instance. Found innocent.
III. September 2018
Judgement of the Court of Appeal
Decision about retrial – the case is referred back to the first instance
IV. November 2019 – Present
Retrial in the Court of First Instance
Links:
https://loudwire.com/behemoth-win-polish-coat-of-arms-case/
“The Sculpture Case”
March 2018 – Present
I. March 2018
Case opens, accused of insulting religious feelings
II. January 2019 – Present
Trial in the Court of First Instance
Links:
https://metalanarchy.com/2020/04/20/behemoths-nergal-offers-update-on-his-ongoing-court-cases/
“The Virgin Mary Case”
2020 – Present
I. January 2021 – Present
Case opened, accused of offending religious feelings
Links:
https://www.nme.com/news/music/behemoth-frontman-nergal-fined-stamping-artwork-virgin-mary-2881893
https://loudwire.com/behemoth-nergal-convicted-offending-religious-feelings/