Poland violated human rights of woman who was refused timely access to prenatal tests

A pregnant Polish woman was subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment when anti-abortion doctors denied her timely access to prenatal tests to determine whether the fetus she was carrying had congenital abnormalities, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled.

The Strasbourg court, which held that her right to respect for her private and family life was also violated, ordered Poland to pay her €45 000 (£40 000; $65 000) in non-pecuniary damages and €15 000 in legal costs and expenses.

The woman, named only as RR, was a married mother of two who was 18 weeks pregnant in February 2002 when after an …