Lithuanian Parliament will, in the coming weeks, discuss a draft law that would strongly restrict women’s access to legal abortion leaving only two options for accessing the procedure: when women’s life and health are in danger and in cases of rape. If adopted, this law would put Lithuania among countries with the strictest laws on abortion in Europe. The draft law had been proposed by the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania who Since 2005 unsuccessfully tried to submit bills to penalize abortion.

ASTRA sent letters to Lithuanian President, Prime Minister and Speaker of the Seimas calling for rejection of this draft law.

Other institutions addressing this legislative debate in Lithuania include 53 Members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe who signed Written Declaration No. 645 on Draft law to restrict access to abortion in Lithuania (link to the document).

The pro-choice coalition All of Us of the European Parliament also addressed the Lithuanian lawmakers through a letter undersigned by over 90 MEPs expressing concern about the legislative debates in Lithuania.