The Arizona Supreme Court has reinstated a 19th-century anti-abortion law that bans abortion in almost all circumstances except in cases where it is “necessary to save the life of a pregnant person.”
The law dates back to 1864 and was signed into law in 1901. It called for prison sentences of two to five years for abortions.
This ruling overturns the current law that allowed termination of pregnancy up to 15 weeks in the state. The court granted the measure fourteen days to enter into force.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes called the decision “unconscionable and an affront to freedom” in a statement.
For her part, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, criticized the decision, pointing out that people in the state were already living under unacceptable abortion restrictions before the measure.
“Today’s Supreme Court decision is absolutely devastating for women and families in Arizona,” Hobbs said.
This near-total abortion ban will be one of the strictest in the country, joining Texas, Alabama and Mississippi, where abortion bans already exist with almost no exceptions.
“Doctors are now clear that all abortions are illegal except those necessary to save a woman’s life,” the court ruled.
Photo: AFP
The verdict came amid political confrontations
The ruling came at a time of political debate ahead of a standoff in November’s presidential election, pitting Democratic President Joe Biden against his Republican rival Donald Trump.
Let’s remember that in 2020, Biden defeated Trump in Arizona by just under 10,000 votes. In this state, abortion is one of the central focuses of the election campaign.
Upon learning of the decision, the president spoke out, saying the ruling was a “cruel ban” on the Republican agenda aimed at “taking away women’s freedom.”
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