Debate in Poland
Woman takes abortion pill – and has to deal with the police in the hospital
A woman in Poland was harassed by police after taking an abortion pill
© Charlie Riedel/AP/DPA
In Poland, a woman took an abortion pill and reported it to her psychiatrist. They then send an ambulance. In the emergency room, the police then attack the patient – and thus cause a great debate.
A police operation in the emergency room for a patient who took an abortion pill worries in Poland for riot. Human rights commissioner Marcin Wiacek asked the head of the responsible police department in Kraków to investigate the incident.
The patient, known only by the first name Joanna, called her psychiatrist on April 27 to report that she had been taking an abortion pill, as the broadcaster TVN24 reported. The woman said she felt physically and mentally bad, but had no suicidal thoughts. The doctor then sent an ambulance and a police patrol to her apartment.
The patient was taken to the emergency department of a hospital. The police stayed with her. “The policewomen told me to undress, squat and cough. I undressed but not my panties because I was still bleeding. It was demeaning and humiliating for me,” the woman told TVN24.
Police harass woman in emergency room
A doctor from the emergency room told the station that four police officers had stood around the frightened woman and made it difficult for the doctors to work. The police also confiscated the woman’s laptop. When the doctor and patient asked why this was necessary, the police officers explained that it had to be secured for the “protocol of the arrest”. The reason: the Kraków District Attorney’s Office is investigating assisted suicide and assisted in illegal abortion.
In 2021, stricter abortion laws came into force in Poland after a controversial ruling by the Constitutional Court. Since then, women are not allowed to have an abortion even if the unborn child shows severe malformations.
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A police statement said the psychiatrist said when she called the emergency room that her patient might be suicidal and had been taking an unknown substance. The woman told the officials that she had bought the drug online, but refused to provide any further details. “We wanted to identify the person who sold her the drugs and check the legality, but above all the safety of the source,” said the police commander according to the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”.
A former civil rights ombudsman has another theory, according to the newspaper: The police wanted to discredit Joanna and unnecessarily gave further personal details about her medical history at a press conference. “You know that such an approach is unlawful,” said the former ombudsman of the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”, but the greater goal is to create an atmosphere of fear.
Poland’s government is behind the police
Poland’s right-wing nationalist PiS government is behind the police. They did everything to save the woman’s life. “She had pangs of conscience because she had killed her own child and wanted to take her own life,” Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro said.
According to its own statements, the Supreme Medical Chamber of Poland has initiated an investigation into the case. “According to the information available to us, the services have been informed of a possible suicide attempt. Any doctor who suspects such an attempt is obliged to notify the responsible authorities in order to save the life at risk,” according to “TVN24” from the medical association. The calls would be recorded and could therefore be checked. “In the event of a breach of doctor-patient privilege, the professional liability examiner will initiate an investigation into the matter,” the statement said. At the same time, the medical association denounces that the incident constitutes a violation of patients’ rights.
The acting civil rights ombudsman also issued a statement on Joanna’s ordeal, saying he learned of the incident through the media. “We immediately took action to explain the situation and review all the circumstances.”
The woman has since spoken out via Instagram: “I still don’t have the words to describe my gratitude. They all seem inadequate given the overwhelming amount of support I’ve received,” she writes. She thanks the women in particular: “You are beautiful. You are wise. You are strong. We will not give up!”
Sources: DPA, tvn24.pl (English), tvn24.pl (Polish), “Süddeutsche.de”.