Setback for conservatives: The strict abortion law in the Republican-governed US state of North Dakota was repealed as “confusing and vague.”
Bismarck – A judge in North Dakota has overturned the conservative-governed US state’s strict abortion law, which prohibits almost all abortions. The law is “confusing and vague” and violates the constitution, Judge Bruce Romanick explained the decision on Thursday (September 12).
“As written, it has the potential to severely limit doctors’ willingness to perform abortions – even though the North Dakota Supreme Court has already found that there is a fundamental right to an abortion to protect a woman’s life or health,” Romanick said.
Before the 2024 US election – North Dakota bans abortions with few exceptions
The republican Governor of the northern state, Doug Burgum, passed the law in April 2023. It bans abortions under threat of five years in prison for doctors. There are only a few exceptions, such as when the mother’s health is at risk or in cases of rape or incest. In the latter two cases, however, abortion is also prohibited from the sixth week of pregnancy.
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An abortion clinic had filed a lawsuit against the strict regulation in North Dakota, which allows exceptions only in a few cases. Republican Attorney General Drew Wrigley announced that he would appeal the new court decision. The outcome is uncertain.
USA repeals Roe vs. Wade: Abortion jurisdiction now lies with the states
North Dakota, with its population of around 800,000, is one of about 20 US states that have banned or severely restricted abortion after the Supreme Court ruled in June 2022 that The landmark ruling Roe v. Wade had been overturnedThe ruling guaranteed women in the USA the right to abortion for almost 50 years. Since then, responsibility for abortion law has been with the individual states.
Meetra Mehdizadeh, a lawyer at the Center for Reproductive Rights, welcomed the ruling in North Dakota as “a victory for reproductive rights.” At the same time, she criticized the fact that the damage caused by the ban cannot be “repaired overnight.” There are hardly any clinics left in North Dakota that offer abortions – the last abortion clinic has moved to the neighboring state of Minnesota. (sot with afp)
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