Poles on the streets in favor of abortion

The death of a 30-year-old was the last straw. In Poland, thousands of people take to the streets demanding legalization of abortions.

“No more dead” (Ani Jednei Wiecej) was the central slogan of the mass march in central Warsaw on Saturday night. It was one of the biggest mobilizations the Polish capital has seen in recent years. Tens of thousands of women, including many men, took to the streets to protest their outrage over abortion-restrictive legislation. The cause was the death of a woman from septic shock in a hospital of a provincial city, under still unclear circumstances. Isabella, 30, was in her 22nd week of pregnancy. For the protesters, he was the first victim of a law, but also of a mentality, which effectively prohibits abortions in Poland.

“The doctors had to terminate the pregnancy because the woman’s life was in danger. But they did not do it, they were afraid (that they were breaking the law), they were waiting for the fetus to die. If they had intervened in time,” , the woman would live today “. Isabella’s family lawyer, Yolanda Budzowska, says the 30-year-old died of a heart attack while she was being prepared for surgery.

On the side of the protesters was also the former President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, now head of the opposition “Citizens’ Platform”. With him the vice-president of the Polish Parliament Malgorzata Kindaua-Blonska. The protesters are targeting the ethno-populist government of Prime Minister Matthew Morawiecki, as well as Julia Pzelebska, president of the Polish Constitutional Court, who is considered a close ally of Jarosαaw Kaczynski, chairman of the ruling Liberal Party and ruling party. Part of the PiS ultra-conservative voters apparently endorse the strict abortion legislation.

200,000 abortions “by chance”?

In Poland, according to official data, less than 2,000 abortions are performed every year. However, women’s rights groups estimate that each year about 200,000 women are aborted illegally or go abroad for surgery, again without legal procedures. The reason is the tightening of legislation in Poland itself by the ethno-populist Morawiecki government. Today, abortion is allowed only when a woman’s life is in danger or when the pregnancy is due to “criminal activity”, ie rape. Until recently, it was allowed even in case the fetus has permanent damage or health problems, but this possibility was considered “illegal” by the Constitutional Court of the country.

“It was a tragic story, I cried, I can’t get over it,” said one protester. “I came here to show that I disagree with this tragedy and the whole situation …” An older woman, Kalina, says she is frightened by the recent events and is worried about her family. “I have a daughter and with all that is happening I advise her to avoid getting pregnant,” she says.

Intervention of the prosecution

Isabella, 30, died two months ago, but the incident became known only last week, sparking strong reactions. In the meantime, the doctors who had taken over the unfortunate woman were fired, while the competent prosecutor’s office is examining the case. This is not the first time that people have taken to the streets to ask the Morawiecki government to review restrictive abortion legislation.

Giannis Papadimitriou (AP, Tagesschau.de)

Source: Deutsche Welle