Madrid, Spain, Jun 29, 2007 / 09:10 am
The European Union and the United Nations have kept up pressure on Nicaragua to reverse the law passed last October 26 outlawing therapeutic abortion in the country, saying economic aid could be lost if the law is not changed.
In the parliamentarian debates prior to the outlawing of abortion, Nicaragua was under pressure from the UN and from donating countries not to prohibit the practice.
As part of the pressure, the president of the National Parliament received a letter in which he was asked to stop debate on the measure to reform the country’s Penal Code.
Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, Germany’s Minister of Cooperation and Development, said, “The international community of donating countries has clearly expressed to President Ortega that there would be immediate consequences in terms of cooperation for development if this national legislation (that penalizes therapeutic abortion) is not rejected.”