An appeals court in Arizona ruled on Friday that doctors performing abortions in the state cannot be prosecuted according to the law of the middle of the 19th century, which prohibits this procedure in almost all cases.
In the ruling, the judges explained that, by balancing the 1864 law with later rulings governing abortion, healthcare professionals performing this procedure should not be subject to government harassment.
Consequently, The ruling gives service providers in the southern state a breather.keeping them from being prosecuted, but not completely rejecting the application of the age-old law.
“Our resolution clarifies that statuses can be negotiated so that doctors can perform abortions” under a more modern law allowing the procedure up to 15 weeksbut “not to be held accountable under the statute” of the 19th century, the judges of the courts of appeal wrote in the ruling.
The case is related to litigation Planned Parenthoodthe largest network of sexual and reproductive health clinics in the United States, which welcomed the decision but assured that its legal battle was not over.
“The termination of the (Arizona) Attorney General’s efforts to impose a near total ban on abortion in the state was a hard victory, but we are not fooled: we know the job is not doneThis is stated in a statement by the president and chief executive officer of the organization, Brittany Fontenot.
State courts block introduction of most restrictive lawwhich the state government hoped would come into effect after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned in June the Roe v. Wade ruling, which had defended pregnant women’s right to choose since 1973.
The law prohibits abortion in all cases except when the life of the mother is in danger.
Since the decision of the Supreme Court of several Republican-controlled states passed or reinstated anti-abortion laws.
In mid-September, the West Virginia state legislature banned abortion in almost all cases, except in cases of rape, incest, or when the mother’s life is in danger.
Until, Abortion was legalized in West Virginia. up to twenty weeks of pregnancy.
Thus, this state – one of the most conservative in the country – became the second law to ban abortion since the US Supreme Court overturned this decision in June. “Rowe vs. Wade” which has been defending women’s right to choose since 1973.
In August, Indiana, also under Republican control, was the first state to take the step.
Source: La Opinion
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