Bill introduced into Ukrainian parliament to significantly restrict abortion

Moscow, March 30, 2017

Photo: The Union of Orthodox Journalists

People’s Deputy of Ukraine Dimitry Golubov has introduced a bill proposing to ban abortions except in cases where the mother’s health is at risk or the conception was a result of rape into the Verkhovna Rada, reports strana.ua.

Bill No. 6239 on amendments to some legislative acts of Ukraine regarding restrictions on the artificial interruption of pregnancy (abortion) was registered in the Ukrainian Parliament on Monday, with the text being released on the Rada’s website on Wednesday, March 27.

The legislator has proposed to eliminate the Ukrainian civil code provision that allows for abortions by desire up to the twelfth week of pregnancy. The new proposal would allow abortions only in certain legal circumstances, up to the twenty-second week of pregnancy.

If the proposed bill is passed, abortions may be carried out by health facilities if the pregnancy poses a direct threat to the life of the mother, if there is evidence of a serious abnormality in the child, or if the conception occurred due to rape. The bill’s author is a member of the parliamentary Committee on Legal Policy and Justice.