A HEARING on the north’s abortion law is to begin at the Supreme Court today.
The UK’s highest court will decide if the law is compatible with international human rights.
After hearing a number of submissions over the course of three days, the seven Supreme Court justice will decide on whether not allowing abortions in cases of sexual crime and fatal foetal abnormalities breaches the European Convention on Human Rights.
The appeal has been brought forward by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. It’s expected that at the end of the three-day hearing judgment will be reserved and a decision will be given early in the New Year.
The hearing comes just a day after the Secretary of State for Education and the Minister for Women and Equalities announced a plan to help cover travel costs to England for abortions in some “hardship cases”.
Abortion law here states it is an offence to terminate a pregnancy and an abortion is only allowed to preserve the life of the mother or if continuing with the pregnancy will result in other serious physical or mental health effects.
As it currently stands, the punishment for breaking the law remains life imprisonment.
