Poland violated human rights of woman in abortion case, European court rules

European court of human rights finds that Polish abortion legislation breached a pregnant woman’s right to privacy and family life, after her foetus was diagnosed with Down’s syndrome

Poland’s 2020 abortion legislation violated the rights of a woman who was forced to travel abroad to access an abortion, the European court of human rights ruled on Thursday.

The court found that while the legislation, which prevented the applicant from accessing an abortion after her foetus was diagnosed with trisomy 21 (Down’s syndrome), did not legally amount to “inhuman or degrading treatment”, it did violate her right to privacy and family life, protected under article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.