精神障害ある少女が暴行受け妊娠、中絶めぐり物議 ポーランド

【ワルシャワＡＦＰ＝時事】ポーランドで、精神障害のある少女（１４）がおじから性的暴行を受けて妊娠し、合法であるはずの中絶手術を受ける際に困難が生じたことをめぐり、閣僚らが法制度の問題を非難する事態に発展している。同国は人口の大半がカトリック信者で、中絶に関し欧州で最も厳しい法制度が設けられている。（写真は資料写真）
　少女をめぐっては、複数の病院の医師が、信条に反していると認識した場合に中絶手術を拒否できる「良心条項」を行使し、中絶手術を拒否した。
　これを受けてアダム・ニェジェルスキ保健相は３０日の記者会見で、「今回の事例に衝撃を受けた。われわれの反応は明確だ」と述べた。
　同国では２０２１年、中絶は性的暴行や母体に命の危険が及ぶ場合を除き、全面的に禁止された。今回の事例が示すように、合法的な中絶でさえも困難に直面することがある。
　問題の存在を公表した人権団体によると、少女には妊娠しているとの認識はなく、妊娠に気付いたおばが中絶手術の手配を試みた。ところが、同国東部の複数の病院の医師が手術を拒否。最終的に同団体が介入し、首都ワルシャワの病院で中絶手術が行われた。
　野党の政治家からは、中絶関連の法改正を求める声が上がっている。同国では２０２０年に憲法裁判所が中絶をほぼ全面禁止する右派政権寄りの判断を示して以降、中絶問題は政争材料になっている。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2023/02/01-13:11）

Poland's health minister weighed in Monday on a high-profile sexual assault case, saying it was unacceptable that a mentally disabled 14-year-old girl struggled to get a legal abortion.
The case, which saw doctors at several hospitals use a conscience clause to avoid carrying out the procedure, has sparked renewed calls to ease the Catholic country's abortion laws, which are among Europe's most stringent.
We are appalled by this case, here our response is unequivocal, Health Minister Adam Niedzielski told reporters.
Since a near-total ban came into effect in 2021, abortion in Poland is legal only if the pregnancy results from sexual assault or threatens the life or health of the woman.
But as the current case demonstrates, even legal abortions are sometimes difficult to obtain in the EU country.
The teenager, who has not been publicly identified, became pregnant after she was sexually assaulted by her uncle, according to the women's rights group Federa.
Federa, which first reported the case, said the teenager had mental disabilities and was unaware of the pregnancy until her aunt discovered what had happened and tried to help her get an abortion.
But doctors at several hospitals in eastern Poland refused to terminate the pregnancy, citing a so-called conscience clause that allows them not to carry out an abortion if they feel it goes against their beliefs.
An abortion was ultimately carried out in Warsaw after Federa stepped in.
No words of disgust are sufficient for such behaviour... but for us, the most important thing was to help the girl, Federa said.
The case has prompted opposition politicians to call for a change in the law.
The conscience clause is a barbaric and inhumane law... and should be scrapped, left-wing MP Katarzyna Kotula told reporters.
Centre-left lawmaker Barbara Nowacka said the opposition would draft a bill restricting the use of the clause by doctors.
The government's ombudsman Marcin Wiacek said the case showed deficiencies in the legal system, saying the teenager should have been informed of hospitals willing to perform the abortion.
Abortion has become a political battleground in Poland since its highest court sided with the right-wing government in late 2020 to rule that terminations due to foetal defects were unconstitutional.