Publiczne prezentowanie zdjęć martwych płodów jako wybryk zakłócenia spokoju i porządku publicznego bądź wywołania zgorszenia (art. 51 § 1 Kodeksu wykroczeń)
Public presentation of photos of dead foetuses as an offence of peace and public order or scandalous behaviour (Article 51 para. 1 of The Code Of Petty Offences)

Summary/Abstract: The aim of the article is to demonstrate the possibility and validity of classifying the actions of pro-life activists who display photos of dead human foetuses in public spaces as falling under Article 51 para. 1 of the Code of Petty Offences. For this purpose, linguistic, historical, teleological, comparative and systemic interpretation was used. The article demonstrates that presenting large-format pictures of bloody, sometimes fragmented human foetuses on billboards, in public spaces such as streets, squares and parking lots, disturbs public peace, causes a scandal and may even disturb public order. The conduct of pro-life activists can also be classed as public indecency. In Poland it is not acceptable, nor is it compatible with common custom or the norms of social coexistence, to impose on people in public spaces photographs of bloody, torn apart human corpses. The intentional conduct of pro-life activists with regard to the actions taken is sufficient to hold them accountable. Yet as described in Article 51 para. 1 of the CoPO, the effects do not have to be intentional; it is enough that they envisaged or at least could have predicted that their actions would disturb the peace or public order, or cause a scandal. For the application of Article 51 para. 1 of the CoPO it is also enough that the disturbance of peace or public order or a scandal is caused by at least one individual.

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