Life is a right, not a privilege
Precious Life has condemned a court case beginning in the UK Supreme Court tomorrow - disputing whether Northern Ireland’s law breaches international human rights - as an “outrageous attack on democracy.”
Following an appeal put forward by the Department of Justice and Northern Ireland’s Attorney General, three judges ruled, on the 29th June 2017, that it was not up to the courts to decide on abortion law but our local Stormont government. Therefore, this upcoming case is completely undemocratic and is an attempt to undermine the decision made in the Belfast High Court.
The case has been brought by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. The Commission should be promoting the human right to LIFE rather than pushing for abortion that takes all the rights away from innocent, defencless human beings and discriminates against unborn babies if they have a disability.
Director of Precious Life, Bernadette Smyth said, “This is an outrageous attack on democracy. In the European Court of Human Rights case, Vo v France [2005], the Court stated that abortion is a matter for national legislation. Therefore the Supreme Court tomorrow must recognise the democratic process in Northern Ireland.”
Bernadette went on to say, “No one should be entitled to an abortion because abortion is not healthcare. It is the intentional killing of an unborn child. Furthermore not one international human rights instrument recognises a right to abortion - including the European Convention on Human Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which actually states that an unborn child needs special safeguards and care, and legal protection."
She added, “The law in Northern Ireland protects both mother and child. In fact, Northern Ireland is among the safest places for women to give birth with one of the world’s lowest maternal mortality rates. ”
Bernadette Smyth concluded, “It must be for Northern Ireland’s elected representatives to continue to uphold the right to life of unborn children in law, policy and practice. Life is a right, not a privilege for the planned and perfect."