'Never Again': Woman's Death Revives Poland's Protest Against Abortion Law

Izabela's demise revived a waning pro-choice protest that had almost reached a dead-end.

On 22 October 2020, Poland’s constitutional tribunal deemed abortions on grounds of foetal defects – including Down Syndrome – unconstitutional. The law, considered one of the most restrictive in Europe, resulted in massive uproar across the country. Thousands of women took to the streets, with Warsaw seeing the biggest-ever protests against Poland’s ruling right-wing Law and Justice party (PiS).

Cut to one year later – the law still exists. And Polish women are back on the streets again.

Thirty-year-old woman Izabela, who developed sepsis 22 weeks into her pregnancy, died due to a delay in life-saving care as medical professionals feared breaking Poland's restrictive abortion laws.