In 2020, a woman seeking an abortion reached out to Justyna Wydrzyńska, a member of Abortion Without Borders and the Abortion Dream Team, after her partner prevented her from traveling abroad for the procedure.
Moved by the woman’s story of an abusive relationship, Wydrzyńska sent her abortion pills, but the police confiscated them before they could be used. In 2023, she was sentenced to eight months of community service for assisting with a medication abortion.
On February 13, 2025, the verdict was annulled due to an improperly appointed judge, and the case was sent back to the district court for retrial. Abortion Dream Team responded, stating that the ordeal is far from over and could continue for years.
In Poland, while providing information about abortion is legal, assisting in the procedure - such as giving abortion pills - is punishable by up to three years in prison. Due to strict abortion laws, many Polish women rely on international organizations for access to medication and support, highlighting the global dimension of the issue.
Justyna Wydrzyńska (left) and Natalia Broniarczyk (right) of the Abortion Dream Team stand inside the Court of Appeal in Warsaw, Poland, on February 13, 2025 (PAP/Albert Zawada)
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Source: Radio Poland/IAR/PAP
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