The European Parliament condemns the ruling of the Polish Constitutional Tribunal which imposes an almost absolute ban on abortion because it “endangers the health and life of women” and asks the Polish government, with a report approved with 373 votes in favor, 124 against and 55 abstentions, to fully guarantee access to safe, legal and free abortion services. The report underlines that the abortion ruling is a further example “of the politicization of the Polish judiciary and the systemic collapse of the rule of law in Poland”, and calls on the EU Council to address the issue. Parliament also calls on EU countries to cooperate more effectively to facilitate cross-border access to abortion services, for example by guaranteeing Polish women access to free and safe abortion in other national health systems. MEPs condemn the increasingly hostile and violent environment for women’s human rights defenders in Poland and call on the Polish authorities to guarantee them the right to speak out publicly without fear of repercussions or threats. Furthermore, they strongly condemn the disproportionate use of violence against demonstrators by law enforcement authorities and call on the Polish authorities to ensure that those responsible for attacks on demonstrators are held accountable for their actions.

Source: Huffington Post November 11, 2021 23:59 UTC