Two nurses denied midwife jobs as midwives for refusing to carry out abortions have lost their legal bid to take Sweden to a top European court for violating their religious beliefs reports The Guardian. Ellinor Grimmark and Linda Steen had told the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) that being denied employment due to their beliefs against abortion was an illegal breach of their rights to freedom of religion and conscience.
Instead of ruling one way or the other, the court declined to take up the case, with a panel finding that Swedish authorities had acted lawfully. The report says the decision was described as “disappointing” but “quite expected” by Steen, while Grimmark said there should be room for all opinions in a democratic society.
The report says the ruling was applauded by a sexual health organisation, which said the case had attempted to “chip away” at abortion rights. “It is not a human right for nursing staff to refuse to provide care,” said Hans Linde of the Swedish non-profit sex education organisation RFSU. “This is an important decision that in the long term will help to protect women’s health, the right to good-quality care and to be treated with respect when seeking an abortion.”
ADF International, the international arm of a US-based Christian group that campaigns for religious freedom, said the outcome had disparaged the women’s religious beliefs.
[link url="https://www.theguardian.com/law/2020/mar/13/swedish-midwives-who-oppose-abortion-fail-in-rights-case?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other"]Full report in The Guardian[/link]