Poland - March 2023

Activist Justyna Wydrzyńska in Poland was convicted for helping a pregnant woman, who had been the victim of gender-based violence, to access abortion pills. Wydrzyńska, who leads Abortion Dream Team, an abortion rights NGO, was sentenced to eight months of community service under a law that criminalises providing help to terminate a pregnancy. UN human rights experts strongly condemned the sentence for contributing to a hostile environment for those working towards safe abortion care and demanded her acquittal. “Justyna Wydrzyńska’s work must be supported, not criminalised,” the experts said.

Sources: Politico, UN OHCHR, Notes from Poland, Lewica