UN Experts Urge Poland to Acquit Justyna Wydrzyńska and Reform Abortion Laws

Calls for Justice and Legal Reform Grow as Poland Prepares for Retrial.

United Nations experts have urged Poland to acquit human rights defender Justyna Wydrzyńska, who is facing a retrial after her previous conviction for assisting in an abortion was overturned in February 2025. Wydrzyńska had initially been sentenced in March 2023 to eight months of community service, amounting to 30 hours per month, under the charge of "helping to perform an abortion." Her case has sparked international outcry, with human rights organizations calling for legal reforms to protect reproductive rights and those advocating for them.

Wydrzyńska, a survivor of domestic violence, has dedicated nearly two decades to advocating for women's rights, reproductive autonomy, and access to safe abortion. She is the founder of "Women on the Net," Poland's first online forum providing support to women seeking abortion, contraception, and sexual education. Through awareness campaigns and training programs, she has fought against the stigma surrounding abortion and has empowered countless women to make informed choices about their bodies.

Her legal battle stems from an incident in 2020 when she assisted a woman experiencing domestic violence in accessing abortion care. The woman’s abusive husband alerted the authorities, leading to Wydrzyńska's arrest. Human rights experts emphasize that her prosecution is emblematic of the broader repression faced by those who challenge Poland’s draconian abortion laws.

Poland’s Abortion Ban Under Scrutiny

Poland’s abortion restrictions are among the most stringent in Europe, severely limiting access to the procedure. The situation worsened in 2020 when the Constitutional Court invalidated a provision of the 1993 Abortion Admissibility Act that had permitted abortion in cases of severe and irreversible fetal abnormalities. This decision has had dire consequences, forcing women to seek unsafe procedures or travel abroad for care. Several women have died due to delayed or denied access to life-saving reproductive health services.

"The work of individuals like Ms. Wydrzyńska remains one of the few avenues for safe abortion in Poland, where access to termination services is practically non-existent," the UN experts stated. "Human rights defenders like her should be protected, not prosecuted."

International Call for Change

The UN experts have called on Poland to align its laws with international human rights standards by decriminalizing abortion and ensuring legal, safe, and accessible reproductive healthcare. They emphasized the need for Poland to provide affordable and non-discriminatory access to essential medications for self-managed abortion, including telemedicine services, in accordance with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.

Moreover, the experts urged Poland to cease the persecution of human rights defenders, particularly those advocating against restrictive abortion laws. "We urge Poland to stop targeting human rights defenders and to take positive measures to ensure accessible, safe, and legal abortion," they stated. "The retrial of Ms. Wydrzyńska and her acquittal would be a first step in the right direction."

Legal and Global Implications

The case has also reached the European Court of Human Rights, with an Amicus Curiae submitted to highlight the broader human rights concerns tied to Poland’s abortion laws. The retrial of Justyna Wydrzyńska is expected to be a pivotal moment in the fight for reproductive rights in Poland and across Europe.

As Poland prepares for Wydrzyńska’s retrial, international pressure continues to mount, calling for an end to punitive measures against those who support reproductive rights and for comprehensive legal reforms that prioritize women’s health and autonomy.