Restore Ellinor Grimmark to Full-standing as a Midwife
Allow Swedish Midwife Conscientious Objection to Abortion
Allow Swedish Midwife Conscientious Objection to Abortion
You may remember the Swedish midwife, Ellinor Grimmark, whose contract, at the Höglandssjukhuset women’s clinic, was not renewed because she refused to perform abortions?
At that time, Grimmark was told by the head of the maternity ward that she, “was no longer welcome to work with them.” And, to add insult to injury, Grimmark’s superiors even questioned, “whether a person with [pro-life] views actually can become a midwife.”
Well, Grimmark did not accept this abuse of power. In fact, she took a legal case against the county to get her job back!
This week, the case is being heard in the Jönköping district court in southern Sweden, and the stakes couldn’t be higher – not just for midwives in Sweden, but also for the right of conscientious objection to abortion, right throughout Europe.
Indeed, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe passed a resolution (1763) in 2010, which says that no-one shall be discriminated against or coerced because of their conscientious objection to performing abortions.
Sweden is ignoring this resolution.
This petition – which will be sent to the Senior Judges at the District Court of Jönköping, Sweden – politely demands that the Council of Europe resolution which supports the right of European citizens to conscientious objection in the case of abortion…be upheld.
And, that Ellinor Grimmark be returned to full-standing within her profession - and be eligible to apply for work just as any other midwife!
When Sweden’s Abortion Act was drafted in 1974, assurances were given that medical practitioners, who objected to performing or participating, in any way, with abortions, would be granted the right to opt out of the same.
Now, that right must be vindicated by the Court.
Please sign this urgent petition to support Ellinor Grimmark, and tell the Swedish court to uphold the right to conscientiously object to participating in abortions.
As this case involves a Council of Europe resolution which defends this right, you do not need to be from Sweden to sign this petition. Almost every country in Europe is party to the Council of Europe treaties. Therefore, we all have the right to demand that such resolutions be upheld, right across Europe.
Thank you for your support!
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Information on the case - http://www.nationalreview.com/article/418499/ask-swedish-pro-life-midwife-about-her-countrys-reputation-tolerance-jacob-rudolffson
The Council of Europe Resolution on Conscientious Objection to Abortion - http://assembly.coe.int/nw/xml/XRef/Xref-XML2HTML-en.asp?fileid=17909&lang=en
Sign this petition now!
Vindicate Ms Grimmark's Right to Conscientious Objection on Abortion
For the Attention of the Senior Judges at the District Court of Jönköping:
Ellinor Grimmark is a midwife whose contract was unjustly cancelled because of her conscientious objection to participating in abortions.
This was an egregious abuse of power.
Over the next two days, Ellinor Grimmark will have her day in your court.
As you may know, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe passed a resolution (1763) in 2010, which calls on its member states to: "guarantee the right to conscientious objection in relation to participation in [abortion]."
We, the undersigned, therefore, call on you, and by proxy, Sweden, to observe the above Council of Europe resolution, which vindicates a medical practitioner's right not to perform, or participate in performing, abortions.
At the same time, we insist that Ms Grimmark be returned to full-standing within her profession, so that she may attain employment in the profession which she trained for - that of being a midwife.
In Sweden, you have a long history of supporting equal rights. We now call on you to protect and defend the right to conscientious objection on abortion.
Thank you for your consideration.
