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Polish man faces jail for allegedly pressuring woman to have abortion

PR dla Zagranicy
Victoria Bieniek 19.09.2018 15:19
A 29-year-old Polish man faces a jail term after he allegedly tried to persuade a 17-year-old to terminate her pregnancy.
Photo: Joe Gratz (Public Domain)Photo: Joe Gratz (Public Domain)

The 17-year-old was working part-time as a hostess promoting products and services when she met the 29-year-old businessman, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.

She later told him she was pregnant with his child, according to IAR.

According to judge Tomasz Kozioł, a spokesman for a court in Tarnów, southern Poland, the man allegedly tried to encourage the woman to have an abortion.

Kozioł added that, according to prosecutors, the man held the pregnant teenager captive in his home for two days, during which time he threatened to kill her.

The accused has said he cannot remember whether he suggested the woman terminate the pregnancy but did not deny that it was possible because he was highly strung, IAR reported.

The woman carried through with the pregnancy, IAR added.

Poland’s abortion laws have been in place since 1993 and are among the strictest in the European Union.

They allow pregnancies to be terminated in only three cases: when the life or health of the mother is in danger; when the pregnancy is the result of incest or rape; and when the foetus is severely and untreatably damaged.

Since the ruling conservative Law and Justice party came to power in late 2015, there have been moves for a blanket ban on all abortions in Poland and calls to penalise doctors who perform the operation and women who terminate pregnancies.

There have also been huge protests against such moves. (vb/pk)

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