United States: Oklahoma passes a law prohibiting abortion after fertilization

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Sitt is known for his anti-abortion stance.

Here, on April 12, 2022, after signing a law punishing abortion for 10 years in prison.

© AP - Sue Ogrocki

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

The American Supreme Court could decide in a few weeks to overturn a judgment dating from 1973 which guarantees the right of women to voluntary termination of pregnancy.

In this case, each state in the country would be free to legislate on the matter.

About twenty of them, in the south and in the center, have already prepared laws which drastically restrict the right to abortion.

Oklahoma goes even further: its Parliament voted, Thursday, May 19, a law prohibiting abortion from fertilization.

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It's a first.

Oklahoma will officially be the US state with the nation's most restrictive abortion law when its governor, Republican Kevin Stitt, signs it into law.

Which is hardly in doubt, since, as he said, he wants to make his state “

”, that is to say the most anti-abortion, in the country.

Citizens urged to sue

To apply this law, Oklahoma wants to rely, not on the police, but on its citizens.

They are invited to take legal action against anyone suspected of having helped or even encouraged a woman to have an abortion. 

A measure already passed in neighboring Texas

last year that prevents the courts from blocking the law, even if it still goes against the right to abortion established by the Supreme Court in 1973. 

Twenty-six conservative states are ready

Jurisprudence on which this Court, now with a conservative majority, is

.

At the end of June or the beginning of July, she could decide to let the States decide alone on their policy in terms of the right to abortion. 

Hence the eagerness of local parliaments to legislate on abortion.

Twenty-six conservative states, more than half of the country, are already prepared to completely ban abortion or severely limit its access. 

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• United States

• Womens rights