In whole of Poland, tens of thousands have once again demonstrated against a furr intensification of abortion law. At rallies, demonstrators spoke out against law push of ultraconservative alliance “stops abortion.” In Warsaw, where, according to city administration alone, 55,000 people participated, protest against seat of national Conservative Government Party Law and Justice (PiS) ended.
if ( typeof AdController !== ‘undefined’ !window.Zeit.isMobileView()) { if ( !document.getElementById( ‘iqadtile8’ ) ) { var elem = document.createElement( ‘div’ ); elem.id = ‘iqadtile8’; elem.className = “ad ad-desktop ad-desktop–8 ad-desktop–8-on-article”; elem.setAttribute(‘data-banner-type’, ‘desktop’); document.getElementById(‘ad-desktop-8’).parentNode.appendChild(elem); AdController.render(‘iqadtile8’); if ( window.console typeof window.console.info === ‘function’ ) { window.console.info(‘AdController ‘ AdController.VERSION ‘ tile 8 desktop’) } } } if ( typeof AdController !== ‘undefined’ window.Zeit.isMobileView()) { if ( !document.getElementById( ‘iqadtile3’ ) ) { var elem = document.createElement( ‘div’ ); elem.id = ‘iqadtile3’; elem.className = “ad ad-mobile ad-mobile–3 ad-mobile–3-on-article”; elem.setAttribute(‘data-banner-type’, ‘mobile’); document.getElementById(‘ad-mobile-3’).parentNode.appendChild(elem); AdController.render(‘iqadtile3’); if ( window.console typeof window.console.info === ‘function’ ) { window.console.info(‘AdController ‘ AdController.VERSION ‘ tile 3 mobile’) } } }
Poland already has one of Europe’s strictest abortion laws, but Committee on Legal Affairs recently approved draft bill. This provides that seriously ill and malformed fetuses will no longer be an abortion reason. If law is passed, women in Poland could only abort if life of pregnant woman is directly threatened or y have become pregnant by rape or incest.
The demonstrations were supported by more than 200 human rights and women’s organisations. The proposed legislative tightening would endanger health and life of women, y wrote in a joint appeal (PDF). Poland also violated its obligation to respect human rights. Among supporters were Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Pro Familia Deutschland.
Council of Europe warns Poland
The Council of Europe also expressed its concern about proposed amendment to law. The adoption of draft would be contrary to Poland’s human rights obligations, said Commissioner Nils Muiznieks. In particular, this would endanger women’s right to freedom from abuse.
if ( typeof AdController !== ‘undefined’ !window.Zeit.isMobileView()) { if ( !document.getElementById( ‘iqadtile4’ ) ) { var elem = document.createElement( ‘div’ ); elem.id = ‘iqadtile4’; elem.className = “ad ad-desktop ad-desktop–4 ad-desktop–4-on-article”; elem.setAttribute(‘data-banner-type’, ‘desktop’); document.getElementById(‘ad-desktop-4’).parentNode.appendChild(elem); AdController.render(‘iqadtile4’); if ( window.console typeof window.console.info === ‘function’ ) { window.console.info(‘AdController ‘ AdController.VERSION ‘ tile 4 desktop’) } } } if ( typeof AdController !== ‘undefined’ window.Zeit.isMobileView()) { if ( !document.getElementById( ‘iqadtile4’ ) ) { var elem = document.createElement( ‘div’ ); elem.id = ‘iqadtile4’; elem.className = “ad ad-mobile ad-mobile–4 ad-mobile–4-on-article”; elem.setAttribute(‘data-banner-type’, ‘mobile’); document.getElementById(‘ad-mobile-4’).parentNode.appendChild(elem); AdController.render(‘iqadtile4’); if ( window.console typeof window.console.info === ‘function’ ) { window.console.info(‘AdController ‘ AdController.VERSION ‘ tile 4 mobile’) } } }
The activists worry, because PiS, which is ruled by an absolute majority, obviously wants to support tightening of laws. “The PiS was, is and will always be in favour of protecting life,” party recently shared. According to polls, only eleven percent of Poles are clear-cut opponents of abortion. According to a study by Opinion Research Institute SW Research, most advocate a loosening of laws. However, Warsaw Parliament has already rejected such initiatives.
According to government figures, up to 1,000 pregnancies are terminated annually in Poland with an abortion – suffragettes even estimate up to 150,000 cases. “Legal abortion is hardly possible right now,” said activist Liliana Regala. Many doctors would refuse surgery. Their fear of being targeted by investigators or being target of protesters of abortion opponents is too great.
“Stop abortion” has been controversially discussed since 2016. The popular initiative was signed by around 800,000 Polish women and poles – but resistance also formed at that time. After nationwide protests, Polish parliament refore rejected a similar draft law.
