A Polish court has ordered a retrial for Justyna Wydrzynska, an activist convicted of assisting an abortion, in a significant case for the country's abortion rights movement. Despite a near-total abortion ban and legal penalties for assistance, this appeal overturned the previous sentencing due to concerns over judicial impartiality. Wydrzynska's case symbolizes broader struggles, as her nonprofit, the Abortion Dream Team, faces increased demand for abortion support amid restrictive laws. Current regulations permit abortions only under specific circumstances, while advocacy groups report a significant gap between legal and actual abortion occurrences in Poland.
For me, this is not a victory, Wydrzynska told AFP after the ruling. The only outcome I would consider a victory today would have been if this court had said: Yes, you are innocent.
The judge, Rafal Kaniok, cited doubts over the impartiality of the presiding judge who delivered the sentence in 2023.
Currently, women can get an abortion in hospital only if the pregnancy results from sexual assault or incest or poses a direct threat to the life or health of the mother.
A network of abortion rights groups, Abortion Without Borders, said that it dealt with an overwhelming number of inquiries from people seeking abortion support in Poland or abroad.
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