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36
.
I.Roleandlegalstatusofwomen
abortionrulesconsideredtobe“amongthestrictestinanyrichcountry”20.Since
manyyearsitisrepeatedthat“manyhealth-relatedpoliciespromote,respect,and
fulfilpeople’shumanrights,however,otherlawscontravenebasicrightswhenthey
criminalize,prohibit,orimpedeaccesstoevidence-basedhealthcareservicesand
procedures”21.AccordingtotheleadingProfessorofpenallawinPolandTeresa
Gardocka,asaresultofthecommentedjudgement“we’relegallybackinhell(ł)
Noterminationofpregnancyisgood,itcanonlybeamuchlesserevil.Women
havearighttotheirbodies,ofwhichthefoetusisapart.NoteveryoneinPoland
belongstotheRomanCatholicChurch,whichstandsbehindshapinglawagainst
women’srights.(...)Theruleoflawhasnorighttodeprivewomenoftheirfreedom
ofchoiceinthenameofreligion.(...)Hell,accordingtothechurch,awaitssome
afterdeath.Nobodyhastherighttocreatehellonearthforwomen.Theauthorities
(power)mustcometotheirsensesquicklybeforepeopleforcethemtodoso.Every
suchstepaswastakenon22ndOctoberbringstheseauthoritiesclosertoacollapse.
Onlythesocialcostofbringingitdownmaybesignificant”22.IdohopethatPolish
authoritieswillunderstandwhatpriceistobepaidbeforeitistoolate.
2.Theconscienceclause–thedoctor’sconsciencevs.women’srights
Despitethebindingstatutoryprovisionsrecognisingtherighttohavealegal
terminationofpregnancyiftheconditionsindicatedintheLawonfamilyplanning
aremet,insomecasesthisrighthasbeenafictionasthelegislatorallowsdoctorsto
refusetoperformabortiononthebasisoftheso-calledconscienceclauseprovided
forinArticle39oftheLawof5thDecember1996onprofessionsofphysician
anddentist23.Accordingtothisprovision,aphysicianmayrefrainfromproviding
medicalserviceswhichareinconsistentwithhisorherconscience,subjectto
Article30oftheLawwhichstipulatesthatadoctorisobligedtoprovidemedical
assistanceineverycasewherethedelayinitsprovisioncouldresultindangerof
lossoflife,grievousbodilyharmorseriousdisorderofhealth.Atthesametime,
20
TheEconomist,Europe,Terminalferocity,Poland’sabortionrulesarenowamongthestrict-
estinanyrichcountry,29thOctober2020,https://www.economist.com/europe/2020/10/31/
polands-abortion-rules-are-now-among-the-strictest-in-any-rich-country(access:30.04.2021).
21
D.Uberoi,M.deBruyn,Humanrightsversuslegalcontroloverwomen’sreproductiveself-de-
termination,HealthandHumanRightsJournal15/1,24thOctober2013,https://www.hhrjournal.
org/2013/10/human-rights-versus-legal-control-over-womens-reproductive-self-determination/
(access:30.04.2021).
22
T.Gardocka,Orzeczeniez22października…,op.cit.
23
JournalofLawsof2021,item790,consolidatedtextof28thApril2021.
