Top prosecutor says case of former bishop is under Vatican’s jurisdiction

Santo Domingo.– Dominican Republic Justice minister Francisco Dominguez rejected the Prosecution of Poland has withdrawn from the child abuse investigations against former Vatican envoy Józef Wesolowski, for lack of cooperation from the Dominican Republic.

The official said the current procedure is that the top Vatican and Polish prosecutors are in the same case, and under the Vienna Convention, jurisdiction for Wesolowski is the Holy See. He added that under the principle of double jeopardy, the case cannot be open in two different jurisdictions.

Dominguez Brito said it is likely that the Polish authorities closed the case on conflict of jurisdiction, since the process against the ex bishop is governed by the Vienna Convention. "The Vienna Convention is the basis of international law," he recalled.