People protest against new anti-abortion laws, near the ruling Law and Justice party headquarters in Warsaw, Poland. Photo: Czarek SokolowskiA near-total ban on abortion has taken effect in Poland and triggered a new round of nationwide protests three months after a top court ruled that the abortion of congenitally damaged foetuses is unconstitutional. Led by a women’s rights group, Women’s Strike, people poured onto the streets of Warsaw and other cities late Wednesday. Members of Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party, which is aligned with the Roman Catholic Church, had often sought the new restriction. They argued that it was a way to prevent the abortion of foetuses with Down syndrome, which have made up a significant share of the legal abortions in Poland.

Source: Irish Independent January 29, 2021 02:37 UTC