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Justyna Wydrzyńska

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Justyna Wydrzyńska is a Polish abortion-rights activist. She is the first abortion-rights activist in Europe to be convicted for aiding in helping a woman get an abortion.[1][2][3]

Activism

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Wydrzyńska launched Kobiety w Sieci, an online website providing information about self-induced medical abortions, after she had her own induced abortion in 2006.[1]

In 2016, Wydrzyńska and three other women founded the Abortion Dream Team.[1]

In December 2019, Wydrzyńska helped found Abortion Without Borders, an initiative connecting Polish women with abortion providers in Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK.[4]

In 2023, Wydrzyńska was shortlisted, alongside two other abortion rights activists, for the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.[5]

Arrest and trial

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In November 2021, Wydrzyńska was arrested after sending abortion pills to a pregnant woman through the mail in 2020.[1] She was charged with "intent to aid an abortion and unauthorized distribution of a pharmaceutical".[1] Wydrzyńska's defense argued that she had sent the abortion pills, but that doing so was "an act of human rights", that she had not aided an abortion, since the pregnant woman had not ended up taking the pills, and that the law against aiding an abortion, as written, should not apply to Wydrzyńska or other similar activists.[1]

Her first court date was in August 2022.[1] Representatives from human rights groups and European embassies were denied entry to the proceedings.[1]

In March 2023, Wydrzyńska was convicted with abetting an abortion.[6][7] She was sentenced to 8 month of community service.[7] Her charges and conviction were condemned by Amnesty International,[8] Human Rights Watch,[9] the International Federation of Gyecology and Obstetrics,[10] the International Planned Parenthood Federation,[11] and the United Nations.[12]

Personal life

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Wydrzyńska was initially a chemist.[1]

As of 2020, she was living in the Polish town of Przasnysz.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Grant, Rebecca (2023-06-23). "The Conviction of Justyna Wydrzyńska". ISSN 0027-8378. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  2. ^ Strzyżyńska, Weronika (2022-03-28). "Polish woman is first activist to face trial for violating strict abortion law". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  3. ^ Lott-Lavigna, Ruby (2022-06-16). "She Sent a Woman Abortion Pills. Now She Faces 3 Years in Prison". Vice. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  4. ^ a b "Inside the fight against Poland's abortion ban". Huck. 2020-12-07. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  5. ^ Ray, Nat (2023-10-12). "Abortion Rights Defenders Shortlisted for European Parliament Prize for Freedom of Thought". Center for Reproductive Rights. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  6. ^ "Guilty of abetting abortion, Polish woman vows to fight on". AP News. 2023-03-24. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  7. ^ a b Kennedy, Niamh (2023-03-15). "Polish court convicts rights activist for supplying pregnant woman with abortion pills". CNN. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  8. ^ "Conviction of Polish abortion activist 'chilling'". Amnesty International. 2023-03-14. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  9. ^ "Poland: End Prosecution of Abortion Activist". Human Rights Watch. 2022-07-13. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  10. ^ "FIGO urges Polish authorities to drop all charges against Justyna Wydrzyńska | Figo". www.figo.org. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  11. ^ "Poland: IPPF EN is appalled by the guilty verdict in the case of Justyna Wydrzyńska". IPPF Europe & Central Asia. 2023-03-14. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  12. ^ "UN experts urge Poland to acquit woman human rights defender Justyna Wydrzyńska". March 15, 2023.
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