Vatican needs to open itself to human rights scrutiny and allows victims to access justice

The Vatican has put two priests on trial over alleged sexual abuse. Reverend Gabriele Martinelli and Enrico Radice, One priest accused of molesting an altar boy in the Vatican’s youth seminary and another priest accused of covering it up.

This is the first such trial within the Vatican's walls, the case dates back to 2007.

According to the charges read in the court-room, the priests forced a 16-year-old boy to submit to cardinal relations acts of sodomy and forced masturbation.

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Kamil Jarzembowski, whistleblower and witness for the prosecution in the trial, former student at seminary said that "I saw violence, made through blackmail and abuse of power by (Gabriele) Martinelli, and it was terrifying seeing these things because at the time I was 15. I had never even seen two people having sex and yet I was forced to watch these things inside the Vatican. Psychologically it was pretty tough to take because I came to the Vatican to serve the church. I was a strong believer."

Thousands of more such crimes are getting shrouded in the church's culture of secrecy. Thousands of young lives are being destroyed by predatory Priests. The Vatican urgently needs to reform its internal policies.

It needs to open itself to human rights scrutiny and allow victims to access justice. It must to do so for the sake of its followers and its own diminishing credibility.

(With inputs from agencies)