Category: News

Council of Europe committee attacks Italian law allowing doctors to refuse abortions

LifeSite News

Hilary White

ROME, March 10, 2014  (LifeSiteNews.com) – The International Planned Parenthood Federation has scored a major victory against conscientious objection laws in Italy at the Council of Europe. The council’s European Committee of Social Rights voted this weekend to uphold IPPF’s complaint against Italy that too many doctors are allowed to refuse to participate in abortion.

The complaint was launched in November 2012 by International Planned Parenthood Federation European Network (IPPFEN) claiming that Italian doctors were “abusing” the right, granted in Italy’s abortion law, not to be forced to commit abortions. It alleged that the Italian law is in “violation of the right to health … due to inadequate protection of the right to access procedures for the termination of pregnancy.”

The law, they said, “does not indicate the precise means through which hospitals and regional authorities are to guarantee the adequate presence of non-objecting medical personnel in all public hospitals, so as to always ensure the right of access to procedures for the termination of pregnancy.”

“Due to this lack in the normative framework, there exists an inadequate application of Law no. 194 of 1978, as demonstrated by the facts relating to practice, which in turn compromises the rights to life, health and self-determination of women seeking to terminate a pregnancy.” [Full Text]

Pennsylvania legislator abandons plan to amend state constitution

State Representative Gordon Denlinger has suspended work on a bill to amend the state constitution to ensure freedom of conscience for citizens who refuse to provide services for reasons of conscience or religion.  He explained that he encountered difficulty in drafting the amendment so as to avoid providing a legal pretext for unjust discrimination.  [insurancenewsnet.com]

American HHS birth control mandate controversy

Little Sisters of the Poor have filed appeal in Denver, Colorado against the HHS Mandate.  Catholic Notre Dame University in Indiana has been denied injunctive relief, apparently because it had already agreed to comply with the mandate.  The Becket Fund reports 95 lawsuits filed against the federal government regulation, with over 300 plaintiffs: 47 by for-profit corporations, 46 by non-profit corporations, and two class action lawsuits.  Of the rulings so far, 33 injunctions have been granted to for-profit corporations (six denied) and 19 have been granted to non-profit corporations (one denied).

Liberal Party of Canada adopts pro-euthanasia/assisted suicide policy

Canada’s Liberal Party, meeting at a policy convention in Montreal, Quebec, has overwhelmingly adopted a policy resolution favouring the legalization of euthanasia and assisted suicide.  However, the policy is not binding on the party leader, Justin Trudeau, so it is not certain that it will be included in his official platform in the next Canadian federal election.  The policy resolution calls for a change in the law after public consultation.  [National Post]

Quebec euthanasia bill stalled

The government of Quebec was unable to convince the opposition Liberal Party to complete debate on Bill 52, legislation to legalize euthanasia, in order to bring it to a vote before the Quebec National Assembly adjourned for two weeks.  The government has tabled a budget, which takes precedence over other bills.  It is believed that the government will call an election when the Assembly returns, which means that the euthanasia bill will not pass.  It could be resurrected by a government formed after the election. [CBC News]