A petition calling for a legislative ban on abortions has been submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine

An online petition calling for a complete ban on abortions at a woman’s request at any stage of pregnancy has been registered on the official website of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. According to the “Judicial and Legal Gazette,” the petition’s initiators insist on revising the legislation and affirming the right to life from the moment of conception.

In the petition’s rationale, the author cites provisions of the Constitution and the Civil Code of Ukraine, emphasizing that the right to life is the highest social value. The current law, which allows for the termination of a pregnancy up to 12 weeks, is criticized; the author calls it a relic of the Soviet system lacking a scientific basis. According to the authors of the document, bodily autonomy cannot serve as a basis for taking the life of a fetus.

The proposed changes provide for exceptions: abortions will be permitted only if the mother’s life is at risk or if severe fetal malformations are detected. In cases of pregnancy resulting from rape, the proposal limits the timeframe for termination to 12 weeks, with the introduction of a mandatory 10-day reflection period.

In addition to these restrictive measures, the bill requires the government to provide comprehensive social, financial, and psychological support to pregnant women facing difficult life circumstances, as well as to impose harsher penalties for performing illegal abortions. In order for the government to be required to consider this initiative, the petition must gather at least 25,000 signatures from citizens.

As a reminder, it was previously reported that the Belfast City Council voted to illuminate City Hall in support of abortion rights over Easter.