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Legalise abortions in first trimester, German commission says

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An expert commission appointed by the government in Germany has recommended legalizing abortion within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Currently, while abortions are technically illegal, exceptions exist for cases such as medical consultation beforehand, rape, or danger to the woman’s life. However, the ambiguous legal situation leads to challenges for both women seeking abortions and healthcare providers, contributing to stigma and uneven access to services, especially in rural areas.

The commission’s report, released a year ago, argues that maintaining the status quo is untenable in light of constitutional, human rights, and European law considerations. However, the government is not bound to follow the commission’s recommendations, and conservative opposition parties are threatening legal action if the law is changed. They accuse the commission of bias and claim the government is initiating a culture war over abortion rights.

While Germany has generally avoided the intense politicization of abortion seen in other countries, such as Poland or the US, upcoming national elections next year could intensify the debate. Politicians may use the issue to rally support amidst declining popularity, potentially prolonging the discussion and fueling further polarization.

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Germany faces genocide case over Israel weapon sales

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Nicaragua has asked the UN’s highest court to halt German weapons sales to Israel at the start of a landmark case.

Germany is accused of breaching the UN genocide convention by sending military hardware to Israel and ceasing funding of the UN’s aid agency.

Berlin rejects the claims and will present a defence to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Tuesday.

In 2023 some 30% of Israel’s military equipment purchases came from Germany, totalling €300m ($326m; £257m).

The allegations build on a separate case taken by South Africa in January, where judges in the Hague ordered Israel to take “every possible measure” to avoid genocidal acts. The court also ordered Hamas to release all hostages taken from Israel during its 7 October attacks immediately.Israel rejects accusations that it is engaging in genocidal acts in its campaign in Gaza, and has insisted it has the right to defend itself.

More than 33,000 have been killed in Israel’s offensive in Gaza, the Hamas-run health ministry there says, the majority of them civilians. Gaza is on the brink of famine, with Oxfam reporting that 300,000 people trapped in the north have lived since January on an average of 245 calories a day.

Nicaragua says Germany’s arms sales to Israel, which totalled $326.5m last year – a tenfold increase on 2022 – make it complicit in Israel’s alleged war crimes.

Components for air defence systems and communications equipment accounted for most of the sales, according to the DPA news agency.Germany was also one of 15 Western nations which suspended funding for the UN’s Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) over allegations that some of the agency’s staff were involved in the 7 October attacks on Israel.

According to papers filed with the ICJ, Nicaragua wants the UN’s top court to order Berlin to halt weapons sales and resume funding of the aid agency, one of the few international bodies still operating in Gaza.

It says in the absence of such measures, “Germany is facilitating the commission of genocide and is failing in its obligation to do everything possible to prevent the commission of genocide”.

Speaking as the trial opened, Alain Pellet, a lawyer for Nicaragua, said it was “urgent that Germany suspend continued sales.

“Germany was and is fully conscious of the risk that the arms it has furnished and continues to furnish to Israel,” he told judges.

Berlin has rejected the allegations, but has remained tight-lipped about its legal strategy ahead of the hearings.

“We note Nicaragua’s lawsuit and we deny the allegations as unjustified”, government spokesman Wolfgang Buechner said.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has been a vocal supporter of Israel’s right to self-defence, but he has faced increasing domestic hostility to the continuation of arms sales to the country.

On Sunday, a group of civil servants wrote to the German leader calling on the government to “cease arm deliveries to the Israeli government with immediate effect”.

“Israel is committing crimes in Gaza that are in clear contradiction to international law and thus to the Constitution, which we are bound to as federal civil servants and public employees,” the statement said, citing January’s ICJ ruling.

In January’s case, the ICJ ruled that “at least some of the acts and omissions alleged by South Africa to have been committed by Israel in Gaza appear to be capable of falling within the provisions of the Convention”.

But critics of the case have been quick to highlight that Nicaragua itself has a spotted human rights record, with its government accused of cracking down on opposition. In March, the UK’s mission to the UN accused President Daniel Ortega’s government of a “relentless” crackdown on human rights and civil liberties.

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Polls to open in Irish family and care referendums

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On Friday, Irish voters will participate in two referendums concerning changes to the country’s constitution regarding family and care.

One referendum asks whether to broaden the definition of family to include non-marital relationships. The other referendum seeks to remove language regarding the role of women in the home and replace it with gender-neutral language recognizing care provided by family members.

Voters will receive two ballots: a white one for the family referendum and a green one for the care referendum. The family referendum proposes adding language to extend constitutional protections to various family structures, while the care referendum aims to replace gender-specific language with inclusive language regarding care provision.

The current constitution only protects families based on marriage, but if the family referendum is passed, all family units would receive equal constitutional rights. Similarly, the care referendum aims to update language and recognition of care provision within families.

Voting eligibility requires being 18 or older, an Irish citizen, registered to vote, and residing in Ireland. Polls will be open from 07:00 to 22:00 local time on Friday. The government scheduled these referendums to coincide with International Women’s Day. Counting of votes will commence on Saturday morning.

In Ireland, a referendum is necessary for any proposed changes to the constitution, which has undergone various amendments since its ratification in 1937, including legalizing same-sex marriage in 2015 and repealing the abortion ban in 2018.

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France makes abortion a constitutional right

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France recently made history by becoming the first country to explicitly include the right to abortion in its constitution. The move was celebrated with an overwhelming 780-72 vote in parliament, prompting a standing ovation. President Emmanuel Macron hailed it as a moment of “French pride” and a “universal message.”

However, anti-abortion groups, as well as the Vatican, criticized the change. Abortion has been legal in France since 1975, but this constitutional amendment solidifies and guarantees this right. The decision was influenced by recent events in the US, where abortion rights have been under threat. The constitutional change aims to protect women’s reproductive rights amid global challenges.

Despite some criticism, the move has been largely welcomed, especially by feminist activists. The decision reflects a broader societal support for women’s rights and autonomy over their bodies. It marks a significant step forward in ensuring that women have the freedom to make decisions about their reproductive health without interference or restriction.

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French Senate backs enshrining right to abortion in constitution

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The French Senate has overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment to solidify women’s right to abortion, following a similar endorsement by the National Assembly. The vote, with 267 in favor and 50 against, reflects growing pressure to strengthen abortion rights amidst concerns over erosion in allied nations like the US and Poland.

French President Emmanuel Macron has called for a special joint session of both houses of parliament, away from Paris, in Versailles, to vote on the amendment. If passed with a three-fifths majority, a referendum won’t be necessary. An Ifop poll from November 2022 indicated strong public support, with 86% favoring the amendment.

While all major political parties in France support abortion rights, there was a revision in the language of the amendment, changing from endorsing the “right” to abortion to advocating for the “freedom” to have one. This adjustment, calling for “guaranteed freedom,” was approved by the Senate.

President Macron has pledged to make women’s freedom to choose abortion “irreversible” by enshrining it in the constitution. Justice Minister Éric Dupond-Moretti hailed the move as historic, positioning France as the first country to constitutionally protect women’s freedom in deciding about their bodies.

Conservative senators expressed feeling pressured to approve the amendment, with one anonymously stating concerns about familial repercussions if she voted against it.

The backdrop to this decision includes ongoing debates in the US, where abortion rights have been challenged, leading to restrictions in many states, and in Poland, where a near-total ban on abortion was imposed by the Constitutional Court in 2020.

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Czech Republic MPs vote to tighten gun laws

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The Czech Republic has passed an amendment to its gun legislation, following the recent mass shooting at Charles University. The amendment, proposed prior to the incident, still needs approval from the senate and the president and won’t be effective until 2026. Despite being considered insufficiently transformative, the amendment aims to address loopholes that allowed the shooter, a licensed gun user, to amass eight legally-owned weapons, including an AR-10 semi-automatic assault rifle.

The shooter, a 24-year-old graduate student with a history of depression, killed 14 people on campus. The legal changes propose an updated online register of guns and owners accessible to doctors, including psychiatrists. Gun shops will be obligated to report suspicious purchases, and the system will flag individuals acquiring numerous weapons. Police will gain the authority to seize weapons preventatively, especially if the owners make threats on social media, a power currently unavailable to them.

However, mandatory psychological tests for gun licenses, common in other countries, will not be enforced. Czech doctors can request such tests but are not obligated to do so before signing license applications. The legislation may undergo further amendments in parliament, but the fundamental right to bear arms for self-defense, added to the constitution in 2021 amid EU attempts to restrict weapon possession, is unlikely to be altered. With over 300,000 licensed gun owners and a million guns in the country, the Czech Republic, known for hunting and biathlon, has a majority of licenses granted for personal protection rather than sports or hunting purposes. The necessity of such personal protection in cities like Prague and Brno remains unclear in one of Europe’s safest countries.

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Russia: LGBT groups could be declared ‘extremist’ in court ruling

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In Moscow, a traditional marriage ceremony showcasing customs from the far north of Russia is part of an exhibition promoting patriotism and “traditional values.” The weddings at the event adhere to the constitutional definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman, emphasizing the absence of recognition for same-sex unions in Russia.

Over the years, Russia’s LGBTQ+ community has faced increasing pressure from authorities, marked by a law enacted in 2013 prohibiting the “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations” among minors. These restrictions were expanded to all age groups in Russia last year, leading to the removal of references to LGBTQ+ individuals from various forms of media.

The Russian justice ministry has now sought to label the non-existent “International LGBT public movement” as an “extremist” organization, aiming for a ban. LGBTQ+ activists fear that if the supreme court supports this motion, individuals associated with LGBTQ+ activism could face lengthy prison sentences for allegedly participating in an extremist organization.

Members of the Russian parliament, particularly Vitaly Milonov, argue that the move is not an attack on sexual minorities but is instead aimed at countering the political agenda of an international LGBTQ+ movement. Milonov expresses a desire to ban activities from LGBTQ+ international organizations in Russia and even suggests banning the rainbow flag, considering it a symbol against traditional family values.

The Kremlin, under Vladimir Putin, has embraced an ideology centered on conservative thinking and “traditional family values,” portraying LGBTQ+ activism as a Western threat to Russia. The pressure on the LGBTQ+ community is framed as a defense of the moral fabric of the country.

Some activists believe that the supreme court hearing on labeling the “International LGBT public movement” as extremist is linked to the upcoming presidential election, suggesting that authorities are creating an artificial enemy to appeal to conservative sentiments. LGBTQ+ advocates view this as an attempt to distract the public from pressing issues.

Maxim Goldman, who identifies as non-binary, describes feeling rejected by their own country and reveals plans to leave Russia urgently due to the anticipated crackdown on LGBTQ+ activism. Others, like municipal deputy Sergei Troshin, express concerns about potential legal consequences for advocating LGBTQ+ rights, highlighting the pervasive atmosphere of fear in Russian society.

In summary, Russia’s LGBTQ+ community is facing increased hostility from authorities, with potential legal consequences for activists and a broader societal atmosphere of fear and repression.

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