Draft tightening abortion regulations rejected at first reading
On Thursday, the Sejm rejected a civic draft law banning abortion in its entirety at first reading. The draft assumed that termination of pregnancy could be treated as a homicide. As a result, it could be punished with 5-25 years in prison or life imprisonment.
361 deputies voted in favor of the motion to reject the bill at first reading, 48 were against and 12 abstained.
The application for rejection of the project was submitted, among others, by the Law&Justice (PiS) club.
"By putting women before the choice: death or imprisonment, life is not protected in any way. It may come to such a bizarre situation that a woman, a rape victim, will have a higher penalty than a rapist," PiS spokeswoman Anita Czerwińska said.
The rejection of the project was also supported by, inter alia, MPs from KO, Lewica, and PSL.
The draft was prepared by the "Pro-right to Life" Foundation and submitted to the Sejm by the Stop Abortion Legislative Initiative Committee. Under the proposal, 130,000 signatures could be found.
(PAP)
