THE GUARDIAN: Constitutional court’s ruling could pave way for governing PiS party to move ahead with legislative ban
Poland’s constitutional tribunal has ruled that abortion due to foetal defects is unconstitutional, rejecting the most common of the few legal grounds for pregnancy termination in the predominantly Catholic country.
The chief justice, Julia Przyłębska, said in a ruling that existing legislation – one of Europe’s most restrictive – that allows for the abortion of malformed foetuses was “incompatible” with the constitution.
After the ruling goes into effect, abortion will only be permissible in Poland in the case of rape, incest or a threat to the mother’s health and life, which make up only about 2% of legal terminations conducted in recent years.
The verdict drew immediate condemnation from the Council of Europe, whose commissioner for human rights, Dunja Mijatović, called it “a sad day for women’s rights”.
“Removing the basis for almost all legal abortions in Poland amounts to a ban and violates human rights,” Mijatović tweeted.
“Today’s ruling ... means underground/abroad abortions for those who can afford and even greater ordeal for all others.” » | Staff and agencies in Warsaw | Thursday, October 22, 2020
US signs anti-abortion declaration with group of largely authoritarian governments »
The Christian fundamentalists are plunging the West into darkness! Does Poland really belong in the European Union? Further, should we be looking to America for leadership anymore? – Mark
