Turkey protests against a new abortion law

Demonstrators shout slogans as they march with placards during a protest in Istanbul against the government’s plans on a new abortion law. Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has said his government is preparing a draft bill on abortion and intends to enact it into law, a move likely to escalate a row over the practice that the Turkish leader has called ‘murder’. Erdogan sparked outrage from women’s groups, opposition lawmakers and media critics when he delivered two fiery speeches last month in which he attacked abortion and caesarean births as ‘secret’ plots designed to stall Turkey’s economic growth. Abortion in Turkey has been legal since 1983 until the 10th week after conception. The banners (from left) read ‘Abortion is a right!’ and ‘Abortion can’t be banned’.from gulf times.