Today the trial against Mrs. Joanna from Krakow opened at the Krakow District Court. She seeks compensation of PLN 100,000 for what she calls an unfair detention. The case concerns her hospitalization after a doctor contacted her, claiming a mental crisis following her use of an abortion pill. The incident drew wide media attention last year and became a political touchpoint for critics of the then ruling United Right, who used it to attack the government and its allies.
According to Mrs. Joanna, police surrounded her with a cordon inside the hospital and female officers entered the gynecology office with her. Authorities explained the action was motivated by concerns of a possible suicide attempt and by the possibility of a criminal act, namely providing abortion services with funds obtained from illegal sources.
In court, Mrs. Joanna is asking for PLN 100,000 for alleged unfair detention. Her representative, attorney Kamila Ferenc, said the actions included a hospital search, confiscation of personal belongings and restrictions on mobility, all affecting her client’s dignity, privacy and sense of security.
READ ALSO: OUR NEWS. Mrs. Joanna had 1.5 per mille in her blood when she arrived at the hospital. Such a level could distort perception
Authorized representative of the police commander: There is no abuse of power
During the hearing, Legal Adviser Przemysław Jeziorek, speaking for the Kraków Municipal Police Commander, asked the court to dismiss the claim, arguing that Ms Joanna was not detained and there were no grounds for compensation. He added that the Kraków Provincial Police Headquarters found no abuse of powers, irregularities or illegal activity after explanatory actions were completed.
Ferenc contended that no formal request was needed to acknowledge that detention occurred and that her client’s mobility had been restricted.
Yes, no decision was made to detain Ms Joanna — no one handcuffed her or took her to a police station, Ferenc noted after leaving the courtroom.
– she referred to the police lawyer’s remarks about the events —
— she emphasized that a police cordon was present and officers accompanied Ms Joanna throughout, which she argued constituted the limiting of her freedom.
What happened in Mrs. Joanna’s apartment suggested that police involvement was unnecessary, her lawyer added, noting that medical attention would have sufficed since there was no serious threat to health or life, nor any connection to prior pregnancy termination, which she said had occurred weeks earlier.
The court postponed the session to October 1 to allow the police representative to respond more fully. A video of police activity in the hospital will be shown, and questioning of Mrs. Joanna is planned for that hearing.
Abortion pill bought online
At the end of July last year, TVN Fakty published material about police actions in a Krakow hospital involving a woman admitted to the emergency department after taking an abortion pill bought online. The report showed officers surrounding Mrs. Joanna with a cordon, entering the gynecology office with her and confiscating her phone and laptop.
The police reported that the intervention occurred after a psychiatrist informed hospital staff of a possible suicide attempt and the intake of substances of unknown origin. They cited suspicion of a crime in helping a pregnant woman terminate her pregnancy with funds from illegal sources. The then head of police, General Insp. Jarosław Szymczyk, expressed regret for the difficult situation but stated that the police could not be blamed for it.
READ ALSO:
-Police releases recordings of the intervention in Krakow! General Szymczyk: Immediate action to prevent suicide
-Mrs. Joanna in another interview. “I did not have suicidal thoughts”; “I want the police to be punished.” But what went wrong with this story?
How Mrs Joanna Became Political Gold
At the time, the opposition tried to use Mrs. Joanna’s situation to attack the United Right. She appeared frequently in the media, and even served as a guest at a women’s rights meeting in the parliamentary group. Her remarks at that event surprised some MPs who invited her.
She later described herself in provocative terms, recounting the experience of using a pill and finding an unusual substance on a pad. She spoke about her identity and family relations in a way that drew attention and controversy.
She also attended a demonstration in front of the Krakow police headquarters, where chants and accusations against psychiatrists were heard. The Million Hearts March, led by the then opposition leader and now Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, cited her case among its motivations. As her visibility waned in the march, she faced criticism from members of the left who argued about her role and involvement.
READ ALSO:
-Tusk and PO forgot Joanna from Krakow? Żukowska bluntly: “She was left on the sidelines.” Leszczyna’s translations
-This is interesting! Missed Joanna during the Tusk march? Lubnauer cannot explain it, but she criticizes the left: they wanted to use the drama
-They organized a march because of her! How did Tusk and KO treat Joanna from Krakow? “In the end, no one invited her to the demonstration.”
-What did Mrs. Joanna say in the Sejm? A startling statement. “There was this jelly…. There was such a jelly there. My jelly…
yes/PAP
Source: wPolityce