The activists said they will continue protesting at clinics for the next two weeks and work to penalize self-managed abortions.

The 1864 Arizona law outlawed abortion from the moment of conception, with an exception to save the woman’s life. It made abortion a felony punishable by two to five years in prison for anyone who performed an abortion or helped a person obtain one. Tuesday’s decision effectively undoes a lower court’s ruling that held that a recent 15-week ban superseded the law.

Reproductive rights advocates and supporters like Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes have called the law “draconian” and argued that a 160-year-old policy has no place in the state’s modern political landscape. But Lynn Dyer, 80, with the Life Choices Women’s Clinic doesn’t see it that way. She said she was “overjoyed” when the ruling came down.

In the days following Tuesday’s decision, reproductive rights groups and advocates have protested across the state as abortion providers wrestle with how to move forward. The state Supreme Court said Tuesday it would put its decision on hold for 14 days so a lower court can consider “additional constitutional challenges.” Reproductive rights advocates can appeal the ruling in the two-week window. Meanwhile, a separate, ongoing suit would allow abortion providers to continue providing services through the 15th week of pregnancy until the end of May.

  • MutilationWave@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    I want to link here to Attorney General of Arizona Kris Mayes stating that she will not allow any prosecutions of medical personnel or individual women in the state.

    This is doubly important because I have seen so much advice on Lemmy recently boiling down to don’t vote, both parties are the same, etc. And it’s been increasing every day and will probably continue to increase all the way into November. Kris Mayes only won by 280 votes. Over 3000 people in that race chose to throw away their vote on a write-in candidate.

    So this is good news for people who care about body autonomy. But it was only possible by 280 votes. Anyone who wants to counter the voting doesn’t matter crowd can point to this election.