The appeal trial of three doctors convicted of offenses related to the death of pregnant Izabela at a hospital in Pszczyna has begun at the District Court in Katowice. The proceedings are being held in camera, meaning closed doors for the media and the public. This is the next stage in one of the most high-profile medical cases in Poland, which sparked mass protests in 2021.

Trial Without Public Access

The appeal hearing is being held behind closed doors, with no possibility for public or media attendance, which is causing social controversy.

Convicted Doctors File Appeal

Three doctors are appealing the July 2025 judgment of the Regional Court, which found them guilty of exposing the patient to danger of loss of life.

Backdrop of Nationwide Protests

Izabela's death in 2021 became a symbol of problems in perinatal care and sparked mass demonstrations under the slogan "Women's Protest".

Possible Court Rulings

The District Court can uphold, amend, or overturn the judgment, sending the case back for reconsideration. The parties retain the right to file a cassation appeal.

A crucial phase of the proceedings concerning the death of 30-year-old pregnant Izabela has begun before the District Court in Katowice. Three doctors, convicted in July 2025 by the Regional Court, have filed an appeal, demanding the judgment be amended or overturned. One of them was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, and all of them – for exposing the patient to immediate danger of loss of life. The tragedy occurred in September 2021 at the hospital in Pszczyna, where Izabela died from septic shock. The case of Izabela from Pszczyna erupted at a specific socio-political moment. In autumn 2020, the Constitutional Tribunal issued a controversial ruling that tightened abortion law, deeming the embryopathological premise unconstitutional. The death of the woman, who – according to her family's account – was denied termination of a pregnancy with a non-viable fetus, became the direct catalyst for nationwide protests under the slogan "Women's Protest". These demonstrations expressed opposition to the tightening of the law and called for improved standards of medical care for women. The current appeal hearing is being held with exclusion of public access. This means that neither media representatives nor the public are allowed into the courtroom, and transcripts of the sessions are not made available. This format is controversial, limiting public oversight of a case with symbolic significance. The court most likely applied this measure to ensure a calm and substantive course of legal discussion, free from external pressure and emotion. In practice, the details of the defense's arguments and the position of the appellate prosecution will remain confidential until the final ruling is announced. According to reports, the doctors appeared in court, but the hearing is taking place in an atmosphere of silence and closed corridors. The District Court is now considering the arguments of the convicted party, which may concern both errors in factual findings and incorrect legal classification of the acts or the penalty imposed. The appellate judges have several options: they can uphold the first-instance judgment, amend it (e.g., by reducing the sentence), or overturn it and refer the case back to the Regional Court for reconsideration. Even after this decision, the legal path will not be definitively closed. A party dissatisfied with the ruling will be able to file a cassation appeal to the Supreme Court, which could significantly prolong the entire proceedings. The decision from Katowice will therefore be another, but not necessarily the final, legal act in this painful case watched by the entire country.

Mentioned People

  • Izabela z Pszczyny — 30-year-old pregnant patient who died in September 2021 at the hospital in Pszczyna; her death became the cause of nationwide protests.