This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/poles-protest-possible-tightening-of-abortion-law/2016/04/03/4c384fbc-f9a2-11e5-813a-90ab563f0dde_story.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Poles protest possible tightening of abortion law Poles protest possibility of total ban on abortion
(about 4 hours later)
WARSAW, Poland — Thousands of Poles are protesting a possible tightening of the country’s abortion law, already one of the most restrictive in Europe. WARSAW, Poland — Thousands of Poles took part in street demonstrations on Sunday to protest a possible tightening of the country’s abortion law, already one of the most restrictive in Europe.
The rallies Sunday in Warsaw and other cities are being held under the slogan “No to the torture of women” and come as the influential Roman Catholic Church launches a campaign for a total ban on abortion, something supported by Prime Minister Beata Szydlo and ruling party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski. The rallies in Warsaw and other cities were held under the slogan “No to the torture of women” and came as the influential Roman Catholic Church launched a campaign for a total ban on abortion, something supported by Prime Minister Beata Szydlo and ruling party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski.
Abortion is currently illegal in Poland except for three cases — if the pregnancy poses a threat to the woman’s health or life, if it results from a crime like incest or rape or if the fetus is damaged. Abortion is currently illegal in Poland in most cases but there are exceptions if the pregnancy poses a threat to the woman’s health or life, if it results from a crime like incest or rape or if the fetus is damaged.
Protesters say a total ban could lead to women dying or force them to travel to other countries for abortions. Protesters say a total ban would lead to women dying or force them to travel to other countries for abortions. In Warsaw they strung up coat hangers, a symbol of primitive underground abortions.
The current abortion law dates to 1993 and was a compromise between the country’s liberal and Catholic circles.
Priests across Poland read out a letter from bishops in churches Sunday calling for lawmakers to initiate legislation that would impose the total ban on abortion. The letter argued there can be no compromise on the matter, citing the Biblical precept “Thou shalt not kill.”
The ruling Law and Justice party has a majority in parliament and would be in a position to change the abortion law if all of its lawmakers support that change. It’s not yet clear if most would follow party leader Kaczynski in supporting the ban.
The party won elections last year promising deep changes to the country, including a return to traditional Catholic values.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.