Activists say the law has created a ‘legal limbo’ that leaves doctors afraid to treat patients for fear of prosecution.
Justyna Wydrzynska is seen in the courtroom after being found guilty of giving abortion assistance in a district court in Warsaw CREDIT: WOJTEK RADWANSKI
A woman has been convicted for helping aid an abortion in Poland – the first such prosecution in Europe.
Justyna Wydrzyńska was accused of providing a woman, who was in an abusive relationship and sought to end her pregnancy, with abortion pills in 2020.
On Tuesday, Mrs Wydrzyńska was sentenced to serve eight months community service, fined, and given a criminal record in the landmark trial. While she admitted sending the pills, they were reportedly confiscated from the woman before she could take them.
Activists say the conviction is “deeply concerning” and sets a “dangerous precedent”.
The Telegraph interviewed Mrs Wydrzyńska in October last year. She is part of an activist group that campaigns against abortion stigma in Poland.
“The woman called the helpline to ask if we could help her. She shared her story about her [husband’s] violence. She asked if we could help her. I sent my pills but when she got the pills, the police were already waiting at her house. Her husband had informed them,” Mrs Wydrzyńska said. “The police took the pills from her. She miscarried a month after.”
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