Priest accused of possessing child pornography received Polish presidential award

Priest Ryšardas Peciunas, who is awaiting trial on charges of possessing pornographic material depicting children, received a Polish presidential award in 2024, LRT reports. He denies the charges and says the material found on his computer was not pornographic.

On May 7, 2024, Peciunas received the Silver Cross of Merit at a ceremony at the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Vilnius. The award was presented for his contributions to the Polish community in Lithuania, the development of Polish Lithuanian cooperation, and efforts to preserve their shared national heritage.

A decree published in the official Monitor Polski shows that Polish President Andrzej Duda awarded Peciunas the distinction on April 29, 2024, following a recommendation by the foreign minister.

Just over a year later, on June 11, 2025, Peciunas was removed as parish priest of the Sacred Heart of Jesus parish in Rūdiškės and the St John the Baptist parish in Paluknys. The Vilnius Archdiocese did not give a reason for the decision and did not assign him to another parish.

The case against Peciunas and his acquaintance Barbara Leščevska was sent to court in June. Both are accused of acquiring and unlawfully possessing pornographic material depicting a child or a person presented as a child, using information and communications technologies. Both defendants deny their guilt.

The court is expected to begin hearing the case on September 17. Peciunas told TV3 that investigators found two approximately four second videos on his computer showing naked children near a swimming pool. He said the children belonged to a family he had known for many years and that their parents had sent him the recordings. The family confirmed sending the priest photographs and videos but denied that the material was pornographic.

The Vilnius City District Court said the proceedings would be held behind closed doors. The court’s representative, Džemilė Antonovič, said there were no victims in the case concerning the alleged offence attributed to Peciunas.

LRT also reported that the case emerged publicly at the same time as another case against Vilnius Archdiocese priest Tadas Švedavičius, who is accused of 34 criminal offences, including sexual offences against minors. The prosecution says the two cases are linked by evidence, but the charges against the priests differ.