Thread by @Humanists_UK

BREAKING NEWS: The @UKSupremeCourt has ruled the time is #NowForNI: Northern Ireland abortion ban breaches UK human rights law & UK Parliament must act #NowForNI humanism.org.uk/?p=65504

We intervened in the case, offering expert philosophical evidence at the intersection of human rights, medical ethics, and the law, helping the @UKSupremeCourt reach today’s historic conclusion. #NowForNI humanism.org.uk/?p=65504

Specifically, this judgment finds that Northern Ireland breaches women’s Article 8 rights in respect of the ban on abortion in the cases of fatal foetal abnormality, rape, and incest. #NowForNI

Human rights are not a devolved issue, meaning this is a UK Parliament issue to deal with now. The only acceptable solution is for UK MPs to urgently repeal sections 58 and 59 of the Offences Against the Person Act (OAPA) #NowForNI

This is one of the most significant judgments in UK history and we are proud to be a part of it. Shows what we can achieve when working together for change. #NowForNI

Hats off to allies @NIHRC (who brought the case), @AmnestyNI, @FPACharity, @birthrightsorg, @bpas1968, @MrsEtoB, @AbortionSupport, @MidwivesRCM, @ReproRights, @EHRC, @UNHumanRights and all who came together to help make this historic judgment a reality. The time is #NowForNI

TO BE CLEAR: the #SupremeCourt ruled a) that Northern Ireland's abortion ban breaches human rights law, but b) the NI Human Rights Commission didn't have proper standing to bring the case. This is a win! If a woman brought the case tomorrow, the abortion ban would be over.

If the UK Government were to fail to act now, it will effectively be saying that uncertainty over the trifling matter of who has standing to bring a case to the #SupremeCourt is reason enough to allow the continue violation of women's rights. #NowForNI

Lord Justice Kerr: 'The court has expressed the clear view that the law of NI on abortion is incompatible with Art. 8 of the Convention in relation to cases of fatal foetal abnormality & by a majority of 4 to 3... in cases of rape and incest." #NowForNI