Hungary has tightened up the abortion law. Before aborting, pregnant women should listen to the fetal heartbeat.
Conservative Prime Minister Viktor Orbán signed the new decree, which will take effect on Thursday. Women who then wish to have an abortion must be compared by their doctor with the vital functions of their fetus, the decree states.
Under Orbán’s government, there has been growing pressure on abortion legislation. Abortion has been legal since 1953. Currently, pregnant women can have an abortion within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. In some cases, the procedure can even be done within the first 24 weeks.
Many (far) right parties want to tighten the abortion law. The Mi Hazánk Mozgalom party is happy with the new measure. “Before the mother performs the abortion, she is given a few seconds to listen to the fetus,” said Congresswoman Dora Duro.
Amnesty International fears that the measure will make it even more difficult for women to have a safe abortion. A worrying step backwards is the way the human rights organization describes the new abortion rule. “It will further traumatize women who are already in a difficult situation.”
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