EUROPEAN COURT SIDES WITH DUTCH ABORTION BOAT

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled today that Portugal violated human rights laws by preventing the Dutch 'Women on Waves' ship from entering the country in 2004. Women on Waves' attracted worldwide attention in 2004 when their ship, which circumvents domestic abortion laws by offering safe abortions whilst sailing in international waters, was blocked by two Portuguese war ships.

At the time, Portugal had very restrictive abortion laws and ‘Women on Waves' were seeking to draw attention to this. The ship was banned from entering Portuguese territorial waters by a ministerial order, on the basis of maritime law and Portuguese health laws. read more (radionetherlands.nl)

WOMEN ON WAVES read more (womenonwaves.org)

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February 16, 2009