{"id":204527,"date":"2024-06-14T08:14:38","date_gmt":"2024-06-14T12:14:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/?p=204527"},"modified":"2024-06-14T08:30:52","modified_gmt":"2024-06-14T12:30:52","slug":"antigua-government-defers-decision-on-abortion-law-to-courts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/antigua-government-defers-decision-on-abortion-law-to-courts\/","title":{"rendered":"Antigua Government defers decision on abortion law to courts"},"content":{"rendered":"
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LOOP-<\/strong>Debates about the constitutionality of Antigua and Barbuda’s archaic abortion law are gaining traction.<\/p>

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On Thursday, the government of Antigua and Barbuda addressed the matter, stating that it will defer to the courts to decide the future of the nation’s anti-abortion laws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier this week, campaigners, including local doctors, filed a constitutional lawsuit against legislation that prohibits abortion except when a woman’s life is at risk.<\/p>

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The campaigners are advocating for new laws that uphold a woman’s right to choose.<\/p>

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Cabinet spokesman Lionel Hurst informed the media that the government will await the judicial proceedings’ outcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSince this matter is before the judiciary, the executive will not comment on it. But we’re leaving it to the people of Antigua and Babila, and the churches especially in Antigua and Barbuda, for them to determine what is reasonable and what is not. And the people of Antigua and Babila will be so guided.<\/p>

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\u201cBut at the moment, the law remains as is, until and unless there is an order coming from the higher courts that will compel us,\u201d he said<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hurst emphasized that the court\u2019s decision will guide the government\u2019s next steps.<\/p>

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\u201cWe’re listening to everyone, because they utilize the public media and also other kinds of spaces, social media and so on. So, everybody has something to contribute, and the outcome is really going to lie with the courts. And we will act.<\/p>

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\u201cThat is, the executive will act on the basis of what the court orders, and the legislature will very likely follow the same route,\u201d he asserted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The court will hear the case in September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Currently under the Offences of the Person Act, a woman who ends a pregnancy faces 10 years behind bars. Anyone who helps her faces two years in prison. The only exception by law is where the woman\u2019s life is at risk.<\/p>\n

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LOOP-Debates about the constitutionality of Antigua and Barbuda’s archaic abortion law are gaining traction. On Thursday, the government of Antigua and Barbuda addressed the matter, stating that it will defer to the courts to decide the future of the nation’s anti-abortion laws. Earlier this week, campaigners, including local doctors, filed a constitutional lawsuit against legislation […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":204528,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-204527","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nAntigua Government defers decision on abortion law to courts - Antigua News Room<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/antigua-government-defers-decision-on-abortion-law-to-courts\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Antigua Government defers decision on abortion law to courts\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"LOOP-Debates about the constitutionality of Antigua and Barbuda’s archaic abortion law are gaining traction. 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