The prosecutor's team has examined nearly 600 cases involving termination of pregnancy, and one in six of them ended with an investigation. That's a lot, women's organizations believe. The situation is to be improved by guidelines for prosecutors on how to proceed in these cases.
Ten pages of guidelines from the Attorney General were supposed to be enough to make women and doctors feel safer when a month ago the parliamentary majority rejected the abolition of liability for helping loved ones have an abortion. However, verdicts in such cases are still being issued. The principles that prosecutors are to follow when the word “abortion” is mentioned were created by prosecutor Katarzyna Kwiatkowska. Her team had previously analyzed 600 cases. – In over 460 proceedings, prosecutors issued decisions to discontinue or refuse to initiate proceedings. Indictments were filed only in 99 cases – indicates Katarzyna Kwiatkowska.
This is still too much, say women's organizations, adding that the guidelines – although they state that the prosecutor should be guided by sensitivity, experience and understanding for women – are not enough. That is why the Foundation for Women and Family Planning FEDERA will publish its own guidelines on Monday.
– We will show prosecutors that these are situations in which – due to the low social harm of the act – it would be justified to refuse to initiate proceedings. These are situations of assistance with a wanted abortion from the closest relatives – informs Mateusz Bieżuński from the FEDERA Foundation.
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Currently, a mother helping her daughter to travel to a foreign clinic may still fear a lawsuit. – I am most moved by situations when parents help their children. These are situations when we have no other choice, especially when the child turns to us for help – emphasizes Justyna Wydrzyńska from the Abortion Dream Team.
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The prosecutor's office guidelines recommend that the questioning of a woman who terminated her pregnancy herself, for which there is no penalty in Poland, should take place only once, with respect for her dignity, but they do not eliminate the detailed questioning. – It is difficult to understand why we have these guidelines in this form, because they will not calm women down, but only confirm that we have a bad law, that this law must be changed – assesses Wanda Nowicka, an MP from the Left.
The Left has once again submitted a bill to decriminalize assisting in abortion. It is signed by female and male MPs from other clubs. However, until something changes, sentences, even if mild, will be passed. – These were sentences involving the imposition of a penalty of restriction of liberty or there were conditional dismissals of proceedings – indicates prosecutor Katarzyna Kwiatkowska.
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