Europe’s Pro-Choice Figures Slam ‘Concerning’ Prosecution Of Polish Abortion Activist
Several pro-choice figures have condemned the recent ruling which saw Polish activist, Justyna Wydrzyńska, convicted for helping a domestic abuse survivor access abortion medication in 2020.
Wydrzyńska has been sentenced to eight months of community service for 30 hours a month.
According to the Centre for Reproductive Rights (CRR), “it marks the first time in recent history in which a human rights defender in Europe has been prosecuted and convicted for assisting with access to abortion”.
“Today’s conviction of human rights defender Justyna Wydrzyńska is deeply concerning,” said CRR Senior Legal Adviser, Keina Yoshida.
“Her prosecution sets a dangerous precedent for the targeting of human rights defenders in Poland who are working to advance reproductive rights and challenge Poland’s de facto ban on abortion.”
Poland’s laws on abortion are some of the strictest in Europe. Poland and Malta are the only two European Union member states that do not permit abortions on request.
At least six women have died in Poland since 2020, after being denied life-saving care during pregnancy due to a near-total ban on abortion.
Mara Clarke, a leading pro-choice figure from Abortion Support Network (ASN), warned that her sister activist Justyna Wydrzyńska’s conviction is “enraging and yet unsurprising”.
“Today our sister activist Justyna Wydrzyńska was criminally convicted of showing kindness and empathy to a woman trying to escape an abusive partner,” she wrote.
“This verdict is an enraging and yet unsurprising end to this miscarriage of justice and waste of public funds, not to mention the time and energy of already overworked activists. Justyna should have been absolved of all charges,” she said.
“This case was not about prosecuting crime but was about punishing Justyna for trying to intimidate anyone trying to defend the human rights of women, anyone seeking an abortion, or anyone helping someone get an abortion.”
“Behind every Justyna, there are 10 more activists who will continue to support people in accessing abortions, and 10 more behind each of us. Come for one of us, come for all of us.”
ASN helps women in Europe access abortions, in countries that include Poland and Malta.
Bernie Linnane, a leading Irish abortion activist echoes these sentiments.
“Justyna Wydrzyńska committed no crime. She helped a woman in need. The crime would have been to refuse. The conviction must be overturned.”
Polish abortion activist Justyna Wydrzyńska was yesterday found guilty of helping a woman access abortion by supplying abortion pills – a case which is a first for Europe.
Wydrzyńska is an activist and founding member of the Abortion Dream Team and Abortion Without Borders, dedicating her life to campaigning for abortion access in Poland.
She was convicted of aiding an abortion because she gave her own abortion pills to Ania, a woman she did not know.
This is the first case marking the prosecution of an abortion activist in Europe, with Justyna being sentenced to serve eight months of community service and given a fine.
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