Malta – Council of Europe Human rights commissioner welcomes abortion amendment

Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović has welcomed the decriminalisation of abortion if a woman’s life or health is in danger but says more needs to be done

5 December 2022
by Kurt Sansone

The exceptions to Malta’s strict anti-abortion law that parliament is discussing are “a first imperative step” to protect women’s rights, the Council of Europe human rights commissioner said.

Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović welcomed the proposal put forward by government to decriminalise abortion when a woman’s life or health is at risk. But she also called for more steps to be taken to legalise abortion.

Continued: https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/120182/council_of_europe_human_rights_commissioner_welcomes_abortion_amendment#.Y46fjnbMKrQ

05.12.2022

Malta proposes bill to ease EU’s strictest anti-abortion law

Malta’s government has introduced legislation to ease the European Union’s strictest anti-abortion law and allow the procedure in cases where the mother’s life or health is at risk

By KEVIN SCHEMBRI ORLAND, Associated Press
November 21, 2022

VALLETTA, Malta -- Malta’s government introduced proposed legislation Monday to ease the European Union’s strictest anti-abortion law and allow the procedure in cases where the mother’s life or health is at risk.

The move comes after a headline-grabbing case involving an American tourist who miscarried and was airlifted off the Mediterranean island to get treatment.

Continued: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/malta-proposes-bill-ease-eus-strictest-anti-abortion-93743387

Malta activists protest, seek to decriminalize abortion

Abortion rights activists have filed a legal protest in Malta’s courts demanding the legalization of abortion

By Kevin Schembri Orland , Associated Press
June 15, 2022

VALLETTA, Malta -- Abortion rights activists filed a legal protest in Malta’s courts on Wednesday demanding the legalization of abortion in the only European Union member where the procedure is criminalized.

Toting banners reading “I decide,” “Abortion is a woman’s right” and “Abortion is health care, not a crime,” the activists protested on the steps of Valletta’s legal courts after filing the complaint.

Continued: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/malta-activists-protest-seek-decriminalize-abortion-85416949

15.06.2022

European Court of Human Rights

Lara Dimitrijevic

Women's Rights Foundation

Poland should guarantee access to safe, legal abortion, says human rights commissioner

The European Parliament is set to approve a resolution condemning Poland’s near-total ban on abortion.

BY THIBAULT SPIRLET
November 10, 2021

The Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights on Wednesday called on Poland to restore access to abortion by fulfilling its international and European legal obligations.

In October 2020, Poland's Constitutional Tribunal ruled women can terminate their pregnancies only in cases of rape or incest, or if their life is in danger.

Continued: https://www.politico.eu/article/poland-safe-legal-abortion-human-rights-commissioner-dunja-mijatovic/

10.11.2021

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Commissioner for Human Rights

Council of Europe

Dunja Mijatović

European Court of Human Rights

Poland Constitutional Tribunal

Rights watchdog faults Malta for abortion, journalist safety

by: KEVIN SCHEMBRI ORLAND, Associated Press
Posted: Oct 18, 2021

VALLETTA, Malta (AP) — A European human rights watchdog recommended on Monday that Malta legalize abortion, improve gender equality and implement reforms to protect journalists, adding another international voice of criticism to the laws and culture on the Mediterranean island nation.

The Council of Europe’s rights commissioner, Dunja Mijatović, made an initial set of recommendations following her recent visit to Malta, during which she met with the prime minister, other ministers and civil society groups. A final report is expected later.

Continued: https://www.cbs17.com/news/rights-watchdog-faults-malta-for-abortion-journalist-safety/

18.10.2021

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

Poland abortion ruling: Protests spread across the country

Oct 23, 2020

Thousands of women are protesting against Poland's new abortion laws in cities across the country.

A court ruling on Thursday banned almost all abortions - with exceptions only for cases of rape, incest, or where the mother's health is at risk.

Continued: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54669257

Protesters gather after Polish court supports almost total ban on abortion

Curbing access to procedure a long-standing ambition of country's ruling party

Thomson Reuters
Posted: Oct 22, 2020

Protesters gathered across Poland on Thursday after the Constitutional Tribunal ruled that abortion due to fetal defects was unconstitutional, banning the most common of the few legal grounds for ending a pregnancy in the largely Catholic country.

After the ruling goes into effect, abortion will only be permissible in Poland in cases of rape, incest or when a mother's health and life are in danger, which make up only about two per cent of legal terminations conducted in recent years.

Continued: https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/poland-court-abortion-law-1.5773722

Poland’s top court rules out abortions due to fetal defects

Monika Scislowska, The Associated Press
Published Thursday, October 22, 2020

WARSAW, POLAND -- Poland's top court ruled Thursday that a law allowing abortion of fetuses with congenital defects is unconstitutional, shutting a major loophole in the predominantly Catholic country's abortion laws that are among the strictest in Europe.

Two judges in the 13-member constitutional Court did not back the majority ruling. Activists deplored the decision, and the Council of Europe's human rights commissioner wrote on Twitter that it was a "sad day for women's rights."

Continued: https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/poland-s-top-court-rules-out-abortions-due-to-fetal-defects-1.5156017

Poland rules abortion due to foetal defects unconstitutional

Constitutional court’s ruling could pave way for governing PiS party to move ahead with legislative ban

The Guardian
Thu 22 Oct 2020

Poland’s constitutional tribunal has ruled that abortion due to foetal defects is unconstitutional, rejecting the most common of the few legal grounds for pregnancy termination in the predominantly Catholic country.

The
chief justice, Julia Przyłębska, said in a ruling that existing legislation –
one of Europe’s most restrictive – that allows for the abortion of malformed
foetuses was “incompatible” with the constitution.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/22/poland-rules-abortion-due-to-foetal-defects-unconstitutional