Tiny San Marino votes in referendum on legalizing abortion

by FRANCES D'EMILIO, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Posted Sep 24, 2021

ROME (AP) — Tiny San Marino is one of the last countries in Europe which forbids abortion in any circumstance — a ban that dates from 1865. On Sunday, its citizens can vote in a referendum calling for abortion to be made legal in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

The ballot proposal also calls for abortion to be permitted beyond that point if the woman’s life is in danger or if her physical or psychological health are at risk due to fetal anomalies or malformations.

Continued: https://www.news957.com/2021/09/24/tiny-san-marino-votes-in-referendum-on-legalizing-abortion/

24.09.2021

conscientious objectors

I was a walking grave: women describe impact of Malta’s abortion ban

Healthcare professionals feel helpless, unable to provide adequate care

Aug 9, 2021
Sarah Carabott

Maria* spent the last months of her pregnancy knowing the foetus she carried inside of her had an inverted heart and a hernia that had spread to its stomach.

Her obstetrician had told her the body would probably self-abort and there was nothing they could do in the meantime.

Continued: https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/i-was-a-walking-grave-women-describe-impact-of-maltas-abortion-ban.892069

Organizations Join Council of Europe’s Urgent Call for Poland to Ensure Access to Lawful Abortion Care and Services

March 16, 2021
Center for Reproductive Rights

On 11 March 2021, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe issued a resolution calling on Poland to adopt, without further delay, long overdue clear and effective procedures for women’s access to lawful abortion care and information.

The resolution expresses serious concerns about Poland’s longstanding failure to comply with the European Court of Human Rights’ judgments in the cases of Tysiąc v. Poland, R.R. v. Poland and P. and S. v. Poland. In these judgments, the Court found a number of human rights violations, citing the multiple obstacles and deplorable treatment that the applicants faced in seeking access to lawful abortion care in Poland. The judgments became final in 2007, 2011, and 2013, respectively. Ample time has passed since the first of these landmark judgments, and yet Poland has repeatedly failed to take effective measures to meet these judgments.

Continued: http://reproductiverights.org/press-room/organizations-join-council-europes-urgent-call-poland-ensure-access-lawful-abortion-care

Poland must adopt clear and effective
procedures for women to access lawful abortion

STRASBOURG
12 MARCH 2021

The Committee of Ministers of the 47-nation Council of Europe has adopted an
Interim Resolution (*) calling on Poland to adopt clear and effective
procedures on steps women need to take to access lawful abortion. These
procedures should ensure that no unnecessary requirements are imposed on
pregnant women seeking lawful abortion by hospitals beforehand and cover
abortion refusals on grounds of conscience. The authorities also should ensure
that women be provided with adequate information on these procedures.

The Interim Resolution relates to Poland’s implementation of three judgments
from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) concerning legal abortions (P.
and S. and Tysiac and R.R.), which pre-date restrictions of the laws on legal
abortion in Poland resulting from a judgment of the Constitutional Court of 22
October 2020.

Continued: https://www.coe.int/en/web/portal/-/poland-must-adopt-clear-and-effective-procedures-for-women-to-access-lawful-abortion

12.03.2021

European Court of Human Rights

Poland Constitutional Tribunal

The unheard pain of abortion in Poland

By Valérie Gauriat
Updated: 12/02/2021

In front of one of Warsaw's main hospitals, an ominous van is parked. Its sides are covered in an image of what is allegedly a dead fetus. It's a message from anti-abortion groups to one of the capital’s few facilities that still perform pregnancy terminations.

A recent ruling by the Constitutional Tribunal has just toughened one of the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe. Terminations in Poland were once only allowed in cases of rape, incest, danger to the mother's health or life, serious defects of the fetus or incurable disease. The new amendments mean that last option is now prohibited.

Continued: https://www.euronews.com/2021/02/12/the-unheard-pain-of-abortion-in-poland

Thousands join Poland protests against strict abortion laws

Protests follow ruling that law allowing abortion of malformed foetuses is incompatible with constitution

Agence France-Presse in Warsaw
Sat 24 Oct 2020
Poland: scuffles erupt as thousands protest against abortion ban – video report

Thousands of people marched in cities across Poland on Saturday in the third straight day of protests against a near-total ban on abortion, with some promising further action in the coming days.

The protesters were reacting to Thursday’s ruling by Poland’s highest court that an existing law allowing the abortion of malformed foetuses was incompatible with the constitution.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/24/thousands-join-poland-protests-against-strict-abortion-laws

Poles divided on ‘draconian’ abortion, sex education bills

Poles divided on 'draconian' abortion, sex education bills
Polish lawmakers are set to debate draft laws that would impose a near-total ban on abortion, criminalize school sex education and equate homosexuality with pedophilia despite similar bills getting dropped in the past due to a popular outcry

By VANESSA GERA, Associated Press
15 April 2020

WARSAW, Poland -- Polish lawmakers began debating draft laws Wednesday that would impose a near-total ban on abortion, criminalize sex education in schools and equate homosexuality with pedophilia, revisiting proposals backed by a Catholic group that were shelved after a popular outcry.

Domestic critics and international human rights organizations say Poland's conservative government is playing foul by bringing the controversial proposals to parliament during the coronavirus pandemic. Mass demonstrations thwarted the bills in the past but would be illegal under a current lockdown that limits gatherings to five people.

Continued : https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/poles-divided-draconian-abortion-sex-education-bills-70157013

European lawmakers demand action on anti-abortion misinformation

European lawmakers demand action on anti-abortion misinformation
openDemocracy investigation sparks cross-party European legislators' call for action on “deliberate disinformation” of vulnerable pregnant women.

Peter Geoghegan and Francesca Visser
12 February 2020

A growing number of European lawmakers from across the political spectrum are calling for action against “deliberate disinformation” targeted at vulnerable women following an openDemocracy special investigation.

This week, openDemocracy revealed that some ‘crisis pregnancy centres’ around the world discourage women from using contraception and say, incorrectly, that abortions increase risks of getting cancer or becoming abusive towards children.

Continued: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050/european-lawmakers-demand-action-anti-abortion-misinformation/

Ireland – Abortion services only available on fourth day

Abortion services only available on fourth day

Ellen Coyne
December 18 2018

Women seeking an abortion will have to wait three full days for the procedure, the chief medical officer has clarified. Angry pro-choice TDs said they had been led to believe that women would get an abortion on the third day and not have to wait until the fourth.

Abortion will be legal in Ireland from next month. There was controversy about the enforcment of a three-day waiting period between a doctor agreeing that a woman can have an abortion, and the procedure.

Continued: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/abortion-services-only-available-on-fourth-day-lswr9r8w6

Italy’s politics gives new life to anti-abortion campaign

Italy’s politics gives new life to anti-abortion campaign
Italian cities and government ministers are taking aim at a 40-year-old law on reproductive rights.

By Giada Zampano
11/18/18

ROME — It is 40 years since Italy passed a law that legalized abortion, but activists fear a woman’s right to choose is again under attack — this time from the country’s politicians.

Thousands of women have taken to the streets in recent weeks to protest against a rise in anti-abortion initiatives in Italian cities — but the same measures enjoy widespread backing among supporters of the country’s most powerful party, the far-right League, as well as the Catholic Church.

Continued: https://www.politico.eu/article/italy-abortion-divide-politics-gives-new-life-to-anti-abortion-campaign/