Polish appeals court to rule next month in abortion case which activists say could set a precedent

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — An appeals court in Poland said Thursday that it would rule next month in the case of a women’s rights activist convicted in 2023 of providing another woman with abortion pills.

The three-judge panel concluded that the case was complicated and adjourned the verdict until Feb. 13.

The activist, Justyna Wydrzynska, was convicted in March 2023 and sentenced to eight months of community service for having sent pills to a woman seeking abortion. Helping a woman have an abortion is illegal in Poland and can result in up to three years in prison.

Wydrzynska appealed the sentence, arguing that one of the judges that ruled at the time wasn’t impartial.

On Thursday, Wydrzynska told the Court of Appeal in Warsaw that she didn’t feel guilty, and that the woman whom she provided the pills to didn’t think the activist was guilty either.

The woman, who didn’t face any charges, already had one child and was prevented by her partner from traveling abroad for an abortion. Her partner reportedly filed a complaint with police.

About a dozen supporters cheered for Wydrzynska in front of the courthouse. Activists say the outcome will set judicial precedent in a country with strict anti-abortion legislation.

Poland, a predominantly Catholic country, allows abortion only when a woman’s life or health is endangered or if the pregnancy results from rape or incest.