This is a first in Europe. A Polish activist was sentenced on Tuesday March 14 by a Warsaw court for sending abortion pills to a pregnant woman and victim of domestic violence. Eight months of community service, the decision of the Polish justice after nearly a year of trial, in a country where the anti-abortion law is among the most restrictive in Europe.
With our correspondent in Warsaw, Martin Chabal
Surrounded by her friends and fellow pro-abortion activists, silver and sequined jacket over her shoulders, Justyna Wydrzyńska left the courtroom with her head held high: “ When I get home, I will have the same life, I will continue to answer the phone, emails, nothing will change. »
Despite the conviction, this activist does not regret what she did : she continued to brandish an abortion pill pack at the end of her trial.
Judge literally said that Justyna in guilty of PROVIDING HELP – 8 months of community service, 30 hours per month. Not guilty of having pills with an intention of putting them on the market. Justification of the judgment will not be public.
— Aborcyjny Dream Team (@aborcyjnydream) March 14, 2023
For Kinga Jelinska, who works in the association Abortion Dream Teamof which Justyna is one of the co-founders, this conviction proves that Polish justice does not take all the complexities of abortion : “ There really is a total lack of understanding of the reality of women in this country. People are disconnected from reality, from human rights, from control, from violence. »
In this trial, Justyna Wydrzyńska does not want to forget the political significance of the conviction, in a country where abortion has been almost illegal since 2020. In any case, this is the opinion of his lawyer: This case is of great social importance and of great interest to the state. This condemnation is intended to make society understand that this type of behavior is not tolerable. »
Justyna Wydrzyńska’s camp intends to appeal this decision.
►Also read : Abortion, a fragile and disputed right in many parts of the world