By Comfort.
In a dramatic twist that has stunned Croatia, a 35-year-old nun who claimed she was viciously stabbed by a man shouting “Allahu akbar” has been accused by Zagreb police of inflicting the wounds on herself and fabricating the entire attack.
Sister Marija Tatjana Zrno, a member of the Sisters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul, initially told authorities that on Friday, 28 November 2025, an unknown assailant approached her in the Malešnica district of Zagreb, stabbed her several times in the abdomen, and fled. She managed to walk back to her convent before being rushed to the Sisters of Charity Hospital, where doctors confirmed non-life-threatening injuries.
The story exploded across Croatian media and social platforms, with many framing it as a religiously motivated hate crime against a Christian nun by a Muslim migrant. Right-wing voices quickly weaponised the incident to stoke anti-immigrant sentiment, while the government’s official X account promised a swift and thorough investigation.
Four days later, Zagreb Police dropped a bombshell: their criminal investigation found no evidence of an external attacker. Instead, investigators say:
- Sister Zrno purchased the knife herself at a local store (confirmed by CCTV and sales records)
- Forensic and medical analysis is consistent with self-inflicted wounds
- No witnesses or footage corroborate the presence of any assailant
- Her account contained multiple inconsistencies uncovered during questioning
Police have formally charged her with filing a false criminal report, an offence that carries penalties of up to one year in prison in Croatia. The case has been forwarded to the Municipal State Attorney’s Office.
Sister Zrno, who was discharged from hospital on 1 December, teaches religion at a Zagreb primary school and is known in her community for youth pastoral work and a passion for football. Her congregation and the Archdiocese of Zagreb have so far declined to comment on the police findings.
The reversal has sparked a fierce backlash online, with many expressing sympathy for the nun’s possible mental health struggles, while others condemn the damage caused by the initial false claim during an already tense period of migration debates in Europe.
Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomašević, who had earlier called for calm and a full investigation, welcomed the police transparency, saying the truth — however uncomfortable — was essential to prevent unjust stigmatisation of any community.
As the legal process unfolds, the case serves as a stark reminder of how quickly unverified claims can inflame divisions, even when they turn out to be tragically self-inflicted.
#Croatia #Zagreb #FalseReport #MentalHealthAwareness
