Germany's cabinet approves revision to Nazi-era abortion law

Doctors are currently banned from advertising services and offering information online

Emily Schultheis in Berlin
Wed 6 Feb 2019 13.38 GMT

Germany’s cabinet has approved a revision to the country’s controversial, Nazi-era abortion law, a move that – pending parliamentary approval – would allow doctors and medical associations to provide women with more information about where and how to seek abortions.

Under the current law – paragraph 219a of Germany’s criminal code – doctors are prohibited from advertising abortion services or providing information about abortions on their websites. German law allows abortions during the first trimester, but uses various measures, such as the advertising ban, which came into force in 1933, to in effect discourage women from obtaining them.

Should the Bundestag pass the revisions that were approved on Wednesday, doctors would be able to inform patients that they performed abortions, while the German Medical Association would also be allowed to compile a list of doctors and hospitals that offered the procedure. In addition, doctors would be able to link to further information and online resources about abortion procedures.

The current debate about the provision was revived last year when the gynaecologist Dr Kristina Hänel was fined €6,000 (£5,200) for listing abortion services on her website and providing information about the procedure. Hänel, who has since become a vocal opponent of the law, vowed to fight her charges to the country’s highest court if need be.

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