Church defends pro-life doctors

Primate of Poland Archbishop Wojciech Polak and new Secretary General of the Polish Episcopate Artur Mizinski. Photo: PAP/Rafal Guz

Following Wednesday's plenary meeting of the Conference of the Polish Episcopate (KEP), bishops signed a statement in support of the signatories.

“The aggression that has been directed against the doctors who were signatories of the declaration is not only incomprehensible, it is also unacceptable,” bishops argued.

“It contradicts the constitutional principle of freedom of conscience and faith, and questions the inalienable right to conscientious objection in medical practice.”

Poland's restrictive abortion laws only permit the operation if a woman's life or health is jeopardised by the continuation of a pregnancy, if the pregnancy is a result of a criminal act such as rape, or if the foetus is seriously malformed. The abortion must be carried out in the first 25 weeks of the pregnancy.

According to Polish law, doctors may still decline such abortions, owing to personal conscience, but they are obliged to refer patients elsewhere.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Tuesday that “regardless of what his conscience is telling him [the doctor] must carry out the law.

“Every patient must be sure of that.”

One of the signatories of the declaration, Professor Bogdan Chazan, refused a woman an abortion, in spite of the fact that the due baby has brain damage.

She has now lodged a complaint with the health ministry, which has ordered a review of the case.

Yesterday's plenary meeting also saw three priests and two nuns posthumously honoured by Israel's Yad Vashem Institute for aiding Jews during WWII. (nh)

Source: PAP