In southern USA, a 3-day trial is under way between the State of Kentucky and the EMW Women’s Surgical Center. The State called for the establishment to be closed due to non-compliance regarding safety issues. This clinic is not, in fact, connected to a hospital and has no ambulance in the event of a medical emergency.
The clinic decided to sue Kentucky because it deems that the State’s demands are “unreasonable and costly”. “The judge made a provisional ruling at the beginning of the year to prevent closure of the clinic based on the fact that the establishment would probably win its case”.
However, if the clinic has to close, Kentucky would be the only American State without an abortion clinic. In fact, according to the Guttmacher Institute – an organisation that promotes reproductive and sexual rights – Kentucky is currently one of 7 states with only one abortion clinic. The trial outcome could also “have repercussions on abortion regulations throughout the United States”.
AFP (06/09/2017); Reuters, Chris Kenning (06/09/2017)