Many Polish women bridled when PiS backed the bill originating as a popular petition earlier this year, prompting conservative lawmakers to refer the matter to the constitutional court. Once the decision comes into effect, terminations will only be allowed in cases of rape or incest, or if the mother's health is at risk. This petition calls on the AMA to stop denying the basic, life-saving abortion pill reversal protocol, and to stop its politically-motivated attacks on the state of North Dakota. This was convenient because a majority of the court's judges were nominated by Law and Justice. It is with great sadness that we, citizens of Poland, Europe and the World, must inform you that the Polish government, led by rightwing extremist has passed for further reading a legislatory project to completely ban abortion. recipient: Beata Szydło, the Polish Prime Minister. We demand the Polish Government to take action against homophobia and to pass laws that would protect LGBT people in schools, workplaces and the public and to abolish current homophobic … .css-1xgx53b-Link{font-family:ReithSans,Helvetica,Arial,freesans,sans-serif;font-weight:700;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:#FFFFFF;}.css-1xgx53b-Link:hover,.css-1xgx53b-Link:focus{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}Read about our approach to external linking. Poland’s abortion laws are among the strictest in Europe - it is only allowed in cases of rape or incest, if the mother’s life is at risk, or if the foetus is seriously compromised. Poland’s abortion laws haven’t always been strict. In 2016 an estimated 100,000 people, mostly women, protested to block an attempt to tighten the law. By signing, you accept Care2's Terms of Service. The lawsuit sought to invalidate results in four states where President Trump lost the US election. Right now, abortion in Poland is illegal except in the following three cases: when the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest; when the life of the pregnant woman is in danger; or when the fetus is severely damaged. "The best way to predict the future is to create it!". We Care2. “Throwing the topic of abortion and a ruling by a pseudo-court into the middle of a raging pandemic is more than cynical,” the head of the European People’s Party tweeted. Poland's abortion laws were already among the strictest in Europe but the Constitutional Tribunal's ruling will mean an almost total ban. Even before Thursday’s ruling, Poland had one of the strictest legislations on abortion access in the region. Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing. This is already one of the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe.There is a new legislative project that aims to restrict this law even further, making abortion completely illegal. ... and therefore also in the prenatal period,” they wrote in their petition to the court. International human rights groups opposed the government's stance, with Amnesty International, the Center for Reproductive Rights and Human Rights Watch saying they would send independent monitors to the court. Here, you’ll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact. As a … Almost all legal abortions in Poland are performed on the grounds of foetal defects, so this ruling, which is final and binding, effectively bans pregnancy terminations. Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world’s largest community for good. All rights reserved, recipient: Beata Szydło, the Polish Prime Minister. Poland – Don't Criminalize Miscarriage and Abortion! Poland has some of the strictest abortion laws. Late last year a group of governing party and far-right MPs decided to ask the court to decide the issue. They said the abortion exception violates anti-discrimination laws and should be overturned, the Polish News reports. Having problems signing this? This has been done despite the public opinion being in favor of alleviating the current Act and only 14% supporting the new project. Chief justice says existing legislation that allowed abortion of malformed fetuses was ‘incompatible’ with the constitution. PETITION TO Dr. Patrice Harris, President of the American Medical Association. Defying Poland’s restrictive abortion law. ).Safe Polish women and girls: Say the Polish Goverment and the prime minister Beat Szydło not to completely ban abortions in Poland!!! According to the Polish law, the president has the authority to reject any new bill that has been outvoted by the parliament (so called veto). "The Constitutional Tribunal's upcoming proceedings take place in the context of repeated government attacks on women's rights and efforts to roll back reproductive rights, as well as legal and policy changes that have undermined the independence of the judiciary and rule of law in Poland," they said in a joint statement. In response to the court’s ruling, thousands of Polish people have taken to the streets to protest. Malgorzata Szulecka, a lawyer for the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, told the BBC: "This is a totally unjustified decision that will lead to inhuman treatment of women.". This means that:– Rape survivors, including children, will be forced to give a birth.– Women that might die due to their pregnancy will have no way to legally terminate it.– A miscarriage might be punished with a sentence, as fetal murder will enter the criminal code.– The state will have the right to bypass a person’s constitutional rights to protect unborn children.– Since prenatal testing is connected to a very small risk of miscarriage, it will be banned and doctors performing it might face criminal charges.– The morning-after pill will be categorized as an early abortion tool and thus completely banned (same with IUDs).People are outraged. The ruling modified the 1993 law on abortion which states that pregnancy termination is only permitted in cases of rape and incest, in cases where the pregnancy poses a risk to the women’s health and in case of fetal defects. Rights groups had urged the government not to increase restrictions. I believe in democracy, we choose our law. Poland already has one of the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe. The protesters were reacting to Thursday’s ruling by Poland’s highest court that an existing law allowing the abortion of malformed foetuses was incompatible with the constitution. On October 22, 2020, the Polish Constitutional Court, meeting in plenary session, rendered a historic decision declaring that eugenic abortion is contrary to the dignity and life of the human being, the respect of which are guaranteed by the Polish Constitution.. Poland is one of Europe's most strongly Catholic countries, but there was no public clamour for this. ‘Blood on your hands’ Former liberal Polish premier and PiS critic Donald Tusk called the timing of the abortion issue “political wickedness”. Women go on strike in Poland over abortion laws. This is already one of the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe. Sign the petition: save our Freedom of Information. Once again, women will be denied basic rights to their bodies, pushed to seek dangerous methods to terminate unwanted pregnancies (clothes hangers, injecting chemicals into their vaginas, punches, etc. US Pfizer Covid vaccine approved for emergency use, UK-EU talks continue as Navy boats put on standby, Trump's latest, legal longshot to challenge result, Covid: Homeless left struggling for shelter. The procedure was legalized in 1956, due in part to arguments that unsafe abortions were contributing to high maternal mortality rates. Abortion is only allowed if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest, if the woman’s life is in danger or in cases of severe or fatal foetal impairment. Even women who qualify for a legal procedure often face challenges to having one: such is the stigma surrounding the issue. Four years ago, Polish women went on strike over an abortion ban. Earlier this year, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic called for the draft legislation to be rejected. Poland abortion: Protesters against ban defy coronavirus lockdown, Covid: Homeless left struggling for shelter. Bishops and lay Catholic groups pressured the governing Law and Justice party to impose a stricter law. You Care. .css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link{color:inherit;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{color:#696969;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:focus,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:focus{color:#B80000;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link::after,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited::after{content:'';position:absolute;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;z-index:2;}Poland abortion: Protesters against ban defy coronavirus lockdown, Black Monday: Polish women strike against abortion ban, Supreme Court rejects Trump-backed election lawsuit. The LGBT community in Poland suffers from homophobia and transphobia fueled by politicians, religious and secular leaders and the lack of protective laws makes them scared of living in their own home country. A legal challenge against the 1993 law permitting abortion in cases of severe foetal disabilities - which accounts for 98% of terminations carried out in Poland - was launched by MPs … Read about our approach to external linking. It would also avoid a stormy and emotional parliamentary debate and accompanying anger on the streets in those pre-Covid days. Many Polish women bridled when PiS backed the bill originating as a popular petition earlier this year, prompting conservative lawmakers to refer the matter to the constitutional court. A legal challenge against the 1993 law permitting abortion in cases of severe foetal disabilities - which accounts for 98% of terminations carried out in Poland - was launched by MPs from the ruling nationalist Law and Justice party last year. Let us know. Right now, abortion in Poland is illegal except in the following three cases: when the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest; when the life of the pregnant woman is in danger; or when the fetus is severely damaged. ... Polish anti-abortion laws – and resistance. Protest in Gdańsk against Poland's new abortion laws 24.10.2020. WARSAW, Poland, November 3, 2020 ( LifeSiteNews) ― Poland’s government has delayed the publication of a court decision that banned the abortion of sick and disabled unborn babies. There was opposition both in parliament and on the streets. Video, Covid: Homeless left struggling for shelter, US Supreme Court rejects Trump-backed bid to overturn election, Brexit: UK-EU talks continue as Navy boats put on standby, Alfred Bourgeois: Second death row inmate executed in two days, Aztec skull tower: Archaeologists unearth new sections in Mexico City, Covid: Genes hold clues to why some people get severely ill, Prince William and Kate make red carpet debut with royal children, Space tourism: Virgin space plane set for first crewed flight, Ruhollah Zam: Iran executes journalist accused of fanning unrest, China Covid: Infected woman defends herself after public shaming, Covid: FDA approves Pfizer vaccine for emergency use in US, Protests against Polish abortion ban defy lockdown. Ahead of the ruling, Polish sexual and reproductive health and rights activist Antonina Lewandowska told the BBC that the defence of the 1993 law was based on UN rules outlawing torture. It has been suggested that a new proposal be brought up that allows abortion in cases of life-threatening birth defects, but not for conditions such as Down’s syndrome. The party supports traditional Catholic values but changing it was problematic. There were just over 1,000 legal pregnancy terminations in Poland last year. Many Polish women bridled when PiS backed the bill originating as a popular petition earlier this year, prompting conservative lawmakers to refer the matter to the constitutional court. Dorota Szumilak, a 44-year-old financial analyst, signed the petition, explaining that she did so because she saw in the abortion ban proposal an attempt to restrict women’s rights more broadly. VideoCovid: Homeless left struggling for shelter, Meryl Streep hams it up in The Prom ★★★☆☆, Migrants accuse Greece of pushing them back out to sea, Test and Trace: 'Tackling Covid got me a job', The trauma and pain of being a Covid doctor, Lily: A Transgender Story is streaming now on BBC iPlayer, .css-orcmk8-HeadlineContainer{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;-ms-flex-pack:justify;justify-content:space-between;}US Supreme Court rejects Trump-backed bid to overturn election.css-1dedj2h-Rank{-webkit-align-self:center;-ms-flex-item-align:center;align-self:center;color:#B80000;margin-left:3.125rem;}1, Brexit: UK-EU talks continue as Navy boats put on standby2, Alfred Bourgeois: Second death row inmate executed in two days3, Aztec skull tower: Archaeologists unearth new sections in Mexico City4, Covid: Genes hold clues to why some people get severely ill5, Prince William and Kate make red carpet debut with royal children6, Space tourism: Virgin space plane set for first crewed flight7, Ruhollah Zam: Iran executes journalist accused of fanning unrest8, China Covid: Infected woman defends herself after public shaming9, Covid: FDA approves Pfizer vaccine for emergency use in US10. Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. Compare that with this statistic: women's rights groups estimate between 80,000 and 120,000 Polish women a year seek an abortion abroad. For years opinion polls said a clear majority of Poles opposed a more restrictive law. Left to their own devices, tens of thousands of Polish women travel abroad to terminate unwanted pregnancies. against Poland (No. Polish health officials reported 1,100 abortions in 2019, according to the report. The Polish situation is also instructive for the way it exposes the basic humanity and decency of the pro-life position, in contrast to the bigotry and extremism of the pro-abortion side. Let me make myself clear, I support the life of the child being most important. Natalia Broniarczyk, of the Abortion Dream Team, a group that holds workshops offering advice to Polish women on how to obtain a medical abortion, … Group members offer up their couches, help with translating and accompany the women to hospital, writes Dylan Brethour Now, with public gatherings limited to a maximum of 10 people in most major cities, opponents of this change will have to find other ways to show their anger. 67171/17). Yes we have no government but that is no exception for our laws to be decided by another parliament and by a mix of MPs from all the counties in the UK. Polish court allows stricter abortion law, sparking outcry. On 22 October 2020, Polish Constitutional Tribunal found that abortion in the case of severe fetal defects is inconsistent with Article 38 of the Polish Constitution. You have JavaScript disabled. Poland has the most restrictive laws on abortion in Europe (except for Malta). The NGO Akcja Demokracja (Action Democracy) said more than 210,000 people had signed its petition against an even stricter abortion law. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Head here to read about abortion laws around the globe and here to sign the petition to stand in solidarity with the women in Poland. That is why we ask you to stand with us to protect women in Poland by signing this petition to Polish President Duda to veto the proposed abortion ban. The Council of Europe's commissioner for human rights said the day marked a "sad day for women's rights". Many Polish women bridled when PiS backed the bill originating as a popular petition earlier this year, prompting conservative lawmakers to refer the matter to the constitutional court. .css-14iz86j-BoldText{font-weight:bold;}Poland's top court has ruled that abortions in cases of foetal defects are unconstitutional. The Constitutional Court's Thursday ruling marked the first change to Polish abortion law since 1993, but comes after a years-long effort from … Without it, our site might not function properly. © 2020 BBC. Poland's already restrictive laws only allow abortion in the case of rape, incest, a threat to a pregnant woman's health, or when the baby is likely to be permanently disabled. "It's inhuman, it's despicable honestly to make anyone carry a pregnancy to term, especially if the foetus is malformed, and 98% of legal abortions carried out in Poland are due to foetal malformations," she said. You are our people. While the issue of eugenic abortion divides the Polish people, its judges and elected representatives, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) seems to invite itself into the debate: on 29 January 2020, it communicated to the Government the application B.B. Now, a younger, fiery generation has joined them. A majority of the court's judges were nominated by the same party. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here. You can unsub at any time here. ... a petition considered by parliament once it has received more than 100,000 signatures. Copyright © 2020 Care2.com, inc. and its licensors. This German NGO has a solution. "Removing the basis for almost all legal abortions in Poland amounts to a ban and violates human rights," .css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link{color:#3F3F42;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited{color:#696969;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited{font-weight:bolder;border-bottom:1px solid #BABABA;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:focus,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:focus{border-bottom-color:currentcolor;border-bottom-width:2px;color:#B80000;}@supports (text-underline-offset:0.25em){.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited{border-bottom:none;-webkit-text-decoration:underline #BABABA;text-decoration:underline #BABABA;-webkit-text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;-webkit-text-decoration-skip-ink:none;text-decoration-skip-ink:none;text-underline-offset:0.25em;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:focus,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:focus{-webkit-text-decoration-color:currentcolor;text-decoration-color:currentcolor;-webkit-text-decoration-thickness:2px;text-decoration-thickness:2px;color:#B80000;}}Dunja Mijatovic wrote on Twitter. 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