This Spring, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has before it an unprecedented number of court cases relating directly to abortion. And because the principles established by the ECHR obtain for 47 member states, Europe will see cases settled that are uniquely decisive for human dignity and respect for life:
Among the cases that the European Court must now judge on, there is the case of a Polish mother who complained of difficulties in obtaining permission for her minor daughter to have an abortion, there is also the case of a woman who died during pregnancy, (allegedly) due to conscientious objection exercised by doctors. In another case, a woman who became sterile following an abortion complained of not having been properly informed of the risks. In two other cases before the Court, the women who gave birth to children with disabilities complain of not being able to have abortions. Finally, on a related topic, the Court also has before it a case involving a ban by the Italian legislature of pre-implantation diagnosis.
These cases turn on the simple, scary question of whether or not eugenics is a human right. While religion’s standing as an important voice in the public square has suffered in Europe, it still isn’t a safe bet that the ECHR will vote in favor of eugenics. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted Resolution 1829 which outlines in detail the negative repercussions abortions often have for society, and made the unexpected conclusion that abortion must not be available without restriction. Let’s hope to be surprised this month.
Read more here .
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