Thousands protested abortion ban in Poland

People take part in an abortion rights campaigners' demonstration "Black Protest" in front of the Parliament in Warsaw, Poland October 1, 2016. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel

Thousands of black-clad demonstrators protested Saturday in Warsaw against a bill that will virtually enact a total ban against abortion in Poland.

“Stop the fanatics in power” and “We need doctors, not police” were among the slogans used in the protest outside parliament.
The demonstration was organized by various groups for the right to abortion. Catholic Poland already has one of Europe’s strictest abortion laws, but the ruling party Law and Justice (PiS) wants to further tighten restrictions.
PiS has presented legislation to the effect that pregnancy can only be terminated if the mother’s life is in danger. In addition, the ruling party will increase the prison sentence of two to five years for those who violate abortion law.
“I’m really angry at these men in suits who want to make decisions about the lives of people who find themselves in unbearable situations,” says secondary school teacher Anna Blumsztajn, one of the protesters.
The country’s influential Catholic Church gave basically its blessing to the bill, but since then a Polish bishop has put his foot down against imprisoning women who undergo abortion.
“We’re not going to allow our

hospitals to be turned into torture chambers, and our doctors into prison guards,” said organizer and member of the left wing party Together, Agnieszka Dziemianowick-Bak.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today