Poland moves to near-total ban on abortion, sparking protests
4 years, 2 months ago

Poland moves to near-total ban on abortion, sparking protests

CNN  

CNN — Poland’s highest court ruled Thursday that abortions due to fetal defects are unconstitutional, moving the country towards a near-total ban on terminations and sparking angry protests in the capital Warsaw. Czarek Sokolowski/AP The Constitutional Court’s Thursday ruling marked the first change to Polish abortion law since 1993, but comes after a years-long effort from the country’s right-wing government to curtail access to terminations. “Today’s ruling of the Constitutional Court means underground/abroad abortions for those who can afford and even greater ordeal for all others.” The ruling Law and Justice Party has placed anti-abortion rhetoric at the heart of its socially conservative agenda, and attempted to pass a bill banning abortions due to fetal defects in the early weeks of the coronavirus pandemic. The police force also defended its actions, saying on Twitter that it was responding to an “increasingly aggressive” crowd, which tried to “deliberately provoke a confrontation.” Earlier attempts to restrict abortions legislatively also drew women’s rights protesters to the streets, with massive demonstrations taking place in 2016 and in subsequent years.

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History of this topic

Tusk says he doesn’t have the votes in parliament to liberalize Poland’s strict abortion law
4 months ago

Tusk says he doesn’t have the votes in parliament to liberalize Poland’s strict abortion law

Associated Press  

WARSAW, Poland — Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has acknowledged that he does not have the backing in parliament to change the country’s abortion law, which is among the most restrictive in all of Europe. Tusk, a centrist, took power in December at the head of a coalition that spans a broad ideological divide, with lawmakers on the left who …

Abortion returns to spotlight in Italy, 46 years after it was legalised
8 months ago

Abortion returns to spotlight in Italy, 46 years after it was legalised

Hindustan Times  

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni’s far-right-led government scored a victory Tuesday with the Senate approving a law allowing anti-abortion groups access to women considering ending their pregnancies. The Senate, where the government has a majority, voted 95-68, giving final approval to legislation tied to European Union COVID-19 recovery funds that included an amendment The law, already passed by the lower Chamber …

Abortion returns to the spotlight in Italy, 46 years after it was legalized
8 months ago

Abortion returns to the spotlight in Italy, 46 years after it was legalized

Associated Press  

ROME — Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni’s far-right-led government scored a victory Tuesday with the Senate approving a law allowing anti-abortion groups access to women considering ending their pregnancies. The Senate, where the government has a majority, voted 95-68, giving final approval to legislation tied to European Union COVID-19 recovery funds that included an amendment The law, already passed by the …

Polish opponents of abortion march against recent steps to liberalize strict law
8 months, 1 week ago

Polish opponents of abortion march against recent steps to liberalize strict law

Associated Press  

WARSAW, Poland — Thousands of Polish opponents of abortion marched in Warsaw on Sunday to protest recent steps by the new government to liberalize the predominantly Catholic nation’s strict laws and allow termination of pregnancy until the 12th week. They were referring to an ongoing public debate surrounding the steps that the 4-month-old government of Prime Minster Donald Tusk is …

Polish lawmakers vote to move forward with work on lifting a near-total abortion ban
8 months, 1 week ago

Polish lawmakers vote to move forward with work on lifting a near-total abortion ban

Associated Press  

WARSAW, Poland — Polish lawmakers voted Friday to move forward with proposals to lift a near-total ban on abortion, a divisive issue in the traditionally Roman Catholic country, which has one of the most restrictive laws in Europe. Tusk said he believed Poland still probably has a long way to go to liberalize the law, but welcomed Friday’s votes as …

Poland lawmakers take steps towards liberalising abortion laws
8 months, 1 week ago

Poland lawmakers take steps towards liberalising abortion laws

Al Jazeera  

Under existing laws, abortion is legal only in cases of rape, incest or a danger to a woman’s health or life. Liberalising access to abortion has been a central campaign promise of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who emerged victorious in elections in October that saw a high turnout partly due to women’s rights issues. Reacting to the news, Miko Czerwinski, …

Poland has a strict abortion law — and many abortions. Lawmakers are now tackling the legislation
8 months, 2 weeks ago

Poland has a strict abortion law — and many abortions. Lawmakers are now tackling the legislation

Associated Press  

WARSAW, Poland — Poland’s parliament held a long-awaited debate Thursday on liberalizing the country’s strict abortion law. A conservative lawmaker, Dariusz Matecki, played the sound of a child’s heartbeat through a microphone at one point in the debate and held a poster showing a fetus and the words “10th week after conception.” Władysław Kurowski with the main conservative opposition party, …

Polish lawmakers debate reforming strict abortion laws
8 months, 2 weeks ago

Polish lawmakers debate reforming strict abortion laws

Al Jazeera  

Poland has some of the strictest abortion laws in the European Union. Lawmakers in Poland have begun debating changes to the country’s harsh abortion laws that had grown more restrictive during eight years of conservative nationalist governments. Somehave sought to make abortion legal without limitations until 12 weeks of pregnancy while one bill looks to reinstate the right to abortion …

Vantage | The politics of France making abortion a constitutional right
9 months, 2 weeks ago

Vantage | The politics of France making abortion a constitutional right

Firstpost  

France’s historic move to constitutionalise abortion sets a precedent for other nations and reaffirms the importance of protecting women’s reproductive rights An anti-abortion activist holds a flag depicting the Virgin Mary that reads 'France is praying" near the Palace of Versailles during the Congress session of both Houses of Parliament in Versailles, west of Paris, on 4 March, 2024. France’s …

As France guarantees the right to abortion, other European countries look to expand access
9 months, 2 weeks ago

As France guarantees the right to abortion, other European countries look to expand access

Associated Press  

PARIS — As France becomes the only country to explicitly guarantee the right to abortion in its constitution, other Europeans look at the U.S. rollback of abortion access and wonder: Could that happen here? The 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning long-held abortion rights was the catalyst for the French parliament’s overwhelming vote Monday to add a constitutional amendment proclaiming …

Maltese lawmakers vote to legalize abortion, but only where the mother is at risk of death
1 year, 5 months ago

Maltese lawmakers vote to legalize abortion, but only where the mother is at risk of death

Associated Press  

VALLETTA, Malta — Maltese lawmakers on Wednesday unanimously approved legislation to ease the strictest abortion laws in the European Union, but pro-choice campaigners had withdrawn their support, saying last-minute changes make the legislation “vague, unworkable and even dangerous.” The original bill allowing women access to abortion if a pregnant woman’s life or health is in danger was hailed as a …

Thousands protest in Poland against strict abortion law after pregnant woman died of sepsis
1 year, 6 months ago

Thousands protest in Poland against strict abortion law after pregnant woman died of sepsis

Associated Press  

WARSAW, Poland — Thousands of people demonstrated across Poland on Wednesday against the country’s restrictive abortion law after a woman who was five months pregnant died of sepsis, the latest such death since a tightening of the law. The protesters vented their fury against the governing Law and Justice party, or PiS, and doctors who refuse to perform abortions even …

Thousands protest against strict abortion law in Poland
1 year, 6 months ago

Thousands protest against strict abortion law in Poland

Al Jazeera  

Women’s rights advocates called for protests in dozens of Polish cities after a woman in her fifth month of pregnancy died of sepsis. Thousands of people have demonstrated across Poland against the country’s restrictive abortion law after a woman who was five months pregnant died of sepsis, the latest such death since a tightening of the law. Poland’s abortion laws, …

Polish authorities rule rights of pregnant woman who died were violated amid abortion law debate
1 year, 6 months ago

Polish authorities rule rights of pregnant woman who died were violated amid abortion law debate

Associated Press  

WARSAW, Poland — Polish health authorities said Monday that there was a violation of patient rights in the case of a woman who died of sepsis in the fifth month of pregnancy last month, a case that has gained scrutiny after a tightening of Poland’s already restrictive abortion law. Poland’s health minister, Adam Niedzielski, also stressed that every woman whose …

Polish prosecutors and ombudsman investigate death of pregnant woman in hospital
1 year, 6 months ago

Polish prosecutors and ombudsman investigate death of pregnant woman in hospital

Associated Press  

WARSAW, Poland — Prosecutors and the patients’ ombudsman in Poland are investigating the death of a pregnant woman at a hospital, amid the family’s accusations that the doctors kept them in the dark as to the danger and didn’t take proper steps to save her. The death last month of the 33-year-old woman was the second such case reported in …

Poland’s near-total abortion ban offers a grim glimpse of a possible U.S. future
2 years, 5 months ago

Poland’s near-total abortion ban offers a grim glimpse of a possible U.S. future

LA Times  

Protesters gather outside Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal in Warsaw on Nov. 6, 2021, to oppose restrictive abortion laws after a woman died of complications during her pregnancy. Women’s rights activists hold a sign reading “You have blood on your hands” near dummies in the street to signify women who are suffering because of Poland’s restrictive abortion law and a proposal for …

Poland, with near-total abortion ban, to record pregnancies
2 years, 6 months ago

Poland, with near-total abortion ban, to record pregnancies

Associated Press  

WARSAW, Poland — The government of Poland, where a near-total abortion ban is in place, faced accusations Monday of creating a “pregnancy register” as the country expands the amount of medical data being digitally saved on patients. Women’s rights advocates and opposition politicians fear women face unprecedented surveillance given the conservative views of a ruling party that has already tightened …

Data | How the composition of judges affects the abortion rights in the U.S.
2 years, 6 months ago

Data | How the composition of judges affects the abortion rights in the U.S.

The Hindu  

According to a draft opinion leaked by news outlet Politico in February 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States privately voted to strike down the landmark Roe vs Wade judgment, wherein the court ruled that a pregnant woman can choose to have an abortion. Data shows that even in countries with significant human development, socio-cultural and religious views carry …

How women are resisting Poland’s abortion ban
2 years, 6 months ago

How women are resisting Poland’s abortion ban

Al Jazeera  

In her apartment in eastern Warsaw, Hania Zagulska, 30, an activist who works as a cleaner, prepares some coffee. “I had lived my whole life in a small town,” Hania recalls of her upbringing in Szamotuły in western Poland. “I was really nervous, but nothing bad happened that day.” But a week later, she had heavy bleeding, which scared her, …

Poland's Abortion Ban Offers Glimpse Of Future Without Roe : Consider This from NPR : NPR
2 years, 7 months ago

Poland's Abortion Ban Offers Glimpse Of Future Without Roe : Consider This from NPR : NPR

NPR  

What Could A Post-Roe Future Look Like? Poland Offers A Glimpse Enlarge this image toggle caption Omar Marques/Getty Images Omar Marques/Getty Images Dozens of states could soon take steps to ban or restrict abortion. That patchwork of laws is the most likely outcome if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v Wade, leaving the U.S. without a federally-protected right to abortion. …

Activist faces trial in Poland for aiding abortion
2 years, 8 months ago

Activist faces trial in Poland for aiding abortion

Al Jazeera  

Justyna Wydrzyńska, 47-year-old mother of three, who has been helping women access abortion for more than 15 years, is set to face trial in Poland this week for violating the country’s strict abortion law. In February 2020, Wydrzyńska, the founder of Poland’s first chatroom for exchanging abortion-related information and co-founder of pro-abortion rights advocacy organisation Abortion Dream Team, was contacted …

The tragic human toll of Poland’s abortion ban that forces women to give birth to seriously ill babies
2 years, 10 months ago

The tragic human toll of Poland’s abortion ban that forces women to give birth to seriously ill babies

The Telegraph  

The women inside the clinic would not look at one another. In 2020, a controversial court ruling in Poland removed foetal abnormalities as grounds for abortion. There have been high-profile tragedies since the ruling came into force: last month a woman died after doctors refused to perform the procedure after the heartbeat of her twins stopped. But just weeks later, …

Poland abortion laws: Woman’s death spurs calls for change
3 years ago

Poland abortion laws: Woman’s death spurs calls for change

Al Jazeera  

Izabel’s case has intensified demands to loosen Poland’s laws, which are among the most restrictive in Europe. “The consequences are so horrible that I would really not take the risk.” She is among the women who are now struggling to even consider childbirth because of the country’s strict abortion laws, which have seen doctors refuse to terminate pregnancies even when …

Death of pregnant woman Izabela in Poland ignites debate about abortion ban, sparks massive protests across the country
3 years, 1 month ago

Death of pregnant woman Izabela in Poland ignites debate about abortion ban, sparks massive protests across the country

ABC  

Protesters turned out in Warsaw and in many other Polish cities Saturday to decry the country's restrictive abortion law, which they say has led to the death of a young mother with a pregnancy that had medical problems. Key points: The family's lawyer has started legal action over Izabela's treatment In Poland, unlawful abortion can lead to people being jailed …

Death of pregnant woman ignites debate about abortion ban in Poland
3 years, 1 month ago

Death of pregnant woman ignites debate about abortion ban in Poland

CNN  

CNN — The death of a pregnant Polish woman has reignited debate over abortion in one of Europe’s most devoutly Catholic countries, with activists saying she could still be alive if it were not for a near total ban on terminating pregnancies. However, Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party rejects claims that the Constitutional Tribunal ruling was to blame for …

Death of pregnant woman ignites debate about abortion ban in Poland
3 years, 1 month ago

Death of pregnant woman ignites debate about abortion ban in Poland

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The death of a pregnant …

The mental health cost of Poland’s abortion ban
3 years, 4 months ago

The mental health cost of Poland’s abortion ban

Al Jazeera  

Seven months after severe restrictions against abortion came into effect, women are struggling with the emotional toll of the near-total ban. Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal, however, ruled that allowing abortions for foetal abnormalities clashed with Article 38 of the Polish constitution, which protects the “right to life of every human being”. “It’s very difficult for a woman living in small towns …

Poland: Near-total abortion ban takes effect amid protests
3 years, 10 months ago

Poland: Near-total abortion ban takes effect amid protests

Associated Press  

WARSAW, Poland — A near-total ban on abortion has taken effect in Poland and triggered a new round of nationwide protests three months after the constitutional court ruled that the abortion of congenitally damaged fetuses is unconstitutional. In Warsaw the atmosphere was tense and police detained three people who they said “had invaded the territory of the Constitutional Tribunal.” Women’s …

Poland’s near-ban on abortion condemns women to torture, top human rights official says
3 years, 10 months ago

Poland’s near-ban on abortion condemns women to torture, top human rights official says

LA Times  

People protest Wednesday against Poland’s new antiabortion laws near the country’s ruling Law and Justice party headquarters in Warsaw. Poland’s top human rights official Thursday denounced a top court ruling that amounts to a near-total ban on abortion, saying it imposes a severe limitation on women’s rights and “condemns them to torture.” The ruling by the constitutional court sparked large …

Poland abortion law: New restrictions go into effect, resulting in a near-total ban on terminations
3 years, 10 months ago

Poland abortion law: New restrictions go into effect, resulting in a near-total ban on terminations

CNN  

CNN — The Polish government has imposed a near-total ban on abortions, including the termination of pregnancies with fetal defects,delivering a major blow to pro-choice advocates in one of Europe’s most devout Catholic countries. A demonstrator gestures as people take part in a pro-choice protest in the center of Warsaw, on January 27, as part of a nationwide wave of …

Mass protests for reproductive rights erupt in Poland: Why Americans should learn from them
4 years ago

Mass protests for reproductive rights erupt in Poland: Why Americans should learn from them

Salon  

Just as voters in America were taking part in a historic presidential election, the women of Poland were taking to the streets. Up to a million people daily have taken part in mass demonstrations against Poland's near-total ban on abortion and the ultra-conservative regime that imposed it. What's happening in Poland is a reminder that when authoritarian regimes undermine democratic …

Abortion helpline calls surge in Poland after court’s near-total ban
4 years ago

Abortion helpline calls surge in Poland after court’s near-total ban

Hindustan Times  

Calls to a Polish abortion support hotline have increased more than five-fold since a court imposed a near-total ban on terminations in October, organisers of the service said on Thursday, as protests over the ruling continue. Hundreds of thousands of Poles have taken to the streets since an Oct. 22 Constitutional Tribunal decision that sharply limited Poland’s already restrictive abortion …

Vogue Poland praised for powerful pro-choice cover in wake of abortion ban
4 years, 1 month ago

Vogue Poland praised for powerful pro-choice cover in wake of abortion ban

The Independent  

Sign up for the Independent Women email for the latest news, opinion and features Get the Independent Women email for free Get the Independent Women email for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Vogue Poland has been praised for making a powerful pro-choice statement with …

Why is Trump’s lawyer fighting against women’s rights in Poland?
4 years, 1 month ago

Why is Trump’s lawyer fighting against women’s rights in Poland?

Al Jazeera  

In Poland and across Europe, US-based Christian-right groups with ties to the Trump administration are working to limit women’s access to abortion. Those working to halt Polish women’s access to safe and legal abortions, for example, include one of President Donald Trump’s personal lawyers, Jay Sekulow. Sekulow – who defended Trump during his impeachment trial and is now leading his …

Poland’s mass protests for abortion rights: ‘This is war’
4 years, 1 month ago

Poland’s mass protests for abortion rights: ‘This is war’

Al Jazeera  

A proposal to ban most terminations has triggered the largest rallies post-communism Poland has witnessed. But the main message to the Law and Justice party, Catholic Church and anti-abortion rights movement was simpler: “F*** you!”, screamed the masses. The Women’s Strike, the organisation behind the protests, wants a return to the former – limited abortion access, but also legalisation, better …

Poland delays implementing abortion ruling amid protests
4 years, 1 month ago

Poland delays implementing abortion ruling amid protests

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Poland’s right-wing government is delaying the publication and implementation of …

Abortion in Europe and the US: Rights under renewed threat
4 years, 1 month ago

Abortion in Europe and the US: Rights under renewed threat

CNN  

CNN — The Abortion Dream Team usually receives about 400 calls a month, from women seeking advice and information. “This is a time for extraordinarily deep concern about the right to abortion in the United States,” Julie Rikelman, senior director of US litigation at the Center for Reproductive Rights, told CNN. In other countries attempts to roll back abortion rights …

Poland’s biggest protests in decades stand against abortion ban
4 years, 1 month ago

Poland’s biggest protests in decades stand against abortion ban

CNN  

CNN — Huge crowds turned out to protest in the Polish capital, Warsaw, on Friday against a court decision to ban nearly all abortions, making it one of the largest demonstrations seen in the country in decades. Kaczyński on Wednesday called the protesters “criminals” and said people taking part in mass gatherings were endangering people’s lives given the surge in …

Poland: Tens of thousands hold new protest over abortion ban
4 years, 1 month ago

Poland: Tens of thousands hold new protest over abortion ban

Associated Press  

WARSAW, Poland — Tens of thousands of people marched Friday through downtown Warsaw to the house of Poland’s ruling party leader in what women’s rights activists planned as the largest demonstration in nine days of protests against a near-total ban on abortions in Poland. A car that drove in the procession had signs on its windows that said: “I wish …

Polish activists gather for new mass protest on abortion ban
4 years, 1 month ago

Polish activists gather for new mass protest on abortion ban

The Hindu  

Thousands of people were converging late Friday on a downtown Warsaw roundabout, for what women’s rights activists vowed would be the largest in nine days of mass protests against a near-total ban on abortions in Poland. “The will of people to protest should be a lesson for anyone who wants to impose authoritarian ways.” Among security forces on the streets …

Why an abortion law ruling triggered mass protests in Poland
4 years, 1 month ago

Why an abortion law ruling triggered mass protests in Poland

Associated Press  

WARSAW, Poland — Poland is a largely conservative country compared to much of Europe, a place where churches fill up on Sundays and Roman Catholicism is deeply interwoven with the national identity. So why has a court ruling restricting abortion sparked more than a week of angry protests across the central European nation of 38 million? Lawmakers with the ruling …

Thousands protest in Poland for abortion rights
4 years, 1 month ago

Thousands protest in Poland for abortion rights

Al Jazeera  

Rallies come after a court ruled an existing law allowing abortion of damaged foetuses was incompatible with the constitution. More than 400,000 people took part in mostly peaceful nationwide demonstrations on Wednesday and organisers said they hoped many people would travel to the capital for Friday’s protest. Mass protests began last week when Poland’s Constitutional Court ruled an existing law …

Nationwide strike in Poland over abortion ruling
4 years, 1 month ago

Nationwide strike in Poland over abortion ruling

The Hindu  

People across Poland are vowing to stay off their jobs on Wednesday as part of a nationwide strike to protest a top court ruling that bans abortions in cases of congenitally damaged fetuses. The nationwide strike comes amid a deepening standoff between angry crowds who have been taking to the streets over the ruling and Poland’s deeply conservative government, which …

Protesters block traffic across Poland over abortion ban
4 years, 1 month ago

Protesters block traffic across Poland over abortion ban

LA Times  

Women’s rights activists and their supporters block rush-hour traffic at a major roundabout in Warsaw on Monday on the fifth day of nationwide protests against recent court ruling that tightened Poland’s restrictive abortion law. Women’s rights activists and many thousands of their supporters held a fifth day of protests across Poland on Monday, defying pandemic restrictions to express their opposition …

Polish court allows stricter abortion law, sparking outcry
4 years, 2 months ago

Polish court allows stricter abortion law, sparking outcry

Al Jazeera  

Chief justice says existing legislation that allowed abortion of malformed fetuses was ‘incompatible’ with the constitution. Poland’s constitutional court has struck down a provision of the country’s abortion law allowing Europe’s most strict legislation to be further tightened and provoking an outcry from rights groups. Chief justice Julia Przylebska said in a ruling on Thursday existing legislation, which allows for …

Poland’s top court rules out abortions due to fetal defects
4 years, 2 months ago

Poland’s top court rules out abortions due to fetal defects

LA Times  

Poland’s top court ruled Thursday that a law allowing abortion of fetuses with congenital defects is unconstitutional, closing a major loophole in the predominantly Catholic country’s abortion laws that are among the strictest in Europe. Activists deplored the decision, and the Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner wrote on Twitter that it was a “sad day for women’s rights.” Hours …

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