The court will not allow another day to “trigger the withdrawal of such an important right”, the decision said on Wednesday evening (local time). The US government had filed a lawsuit against what is known as the Heartbeat Act, which bans most abortions in Texas.
From the moment the law came into force, women were illegally prevented from exercising control over their lives, the decision said. This is a huge win for President Joe Biden’s US administration, which has sued Texas over the law. However, this success could be short-lived.
The law prohibits abortions once the child’s heartbeat has been determined. This can be the case as early as the sixth week of pregnancy. Many women do not yet know that they are pregnant at this point. What is unusual about the regulation is that it enables private individuals to take civil action against anyone who helps a woman with an abortion.
The regulation allows lawsuits against a wide range of people – from the taxi driver who drives a woman to the clinic, to parents who financially support their daughter with an abortion. The US Department of Justice spoke of “bounty hunters” and called the law “clearly unconstitutional”. It was not until the weekend that thousands again demonstrated in the United States for the right to abortion.
It can be assumed, however, that the Republican government of Texas will challenge the court’s current decision. In theory, clinics can now again perform abortions that were prohibited by law. However, they must continue to fear that they will be sued if a higher court overturns the decision. Some clinics are likely to continue to wait for final legal clarification in order not to take any risks.
