[France24] The US state of Arkansas Tuesday passed a law banning abortion even in cases of rape or incest, in a move supporters hope will push the Supreme Court towards overturning its landmark 1973 ruling protecting abortion rights nationwide.
The only exception to the Arkansas law is "to save the life of the mother in a medical emergency," announced Asa Hutchinson, the governor of the southern state known for its Christian conservatism.
Hutchinson said he signed the law due to his "sincere and long-held pro-life convictions," adding that "it is the intent of the legislation to set the stage for the Supreme Court overturning current case law."
The Arkansas law will not come into force before the summer, and the powerful ACLU civil rights organisation has already announced that it will challenge it in court.
Abortion divides the American population, with strong opposition especially among evangelical Christians. |