50,000 Slovakians Demand A Ban On Abortions In Annual March For Life

About 50,000 Slovakians gathered Sunday to protest the country’s abortion laws, demanding a total abortion ban in Slovakia.

Organizer’s estimated that about 50,000 people participated in the third annual Slovakian March for Life, according to the Slovak Spectator. The pro-lifers marched in Slovakia’s capital city of Bratislava carrying sings that read “A human is human regardless of size” and “Who kills an unborn child kills the future of the nation,” according to Reuters.

Slovakia currently allows abortions on demand up until 12 weeks of pregnancy, Reuters reported, while abortions are allowed for health reasons up to 24 weeks. This compares to more conservative countries like Poland and Malta where abortions are usually banned except in cases of rape.

“We want freedom for unborn children to be able to be born and live free human lives,” organizer Marek Michalčík said according to Sme Daily, the Slovak Spectator reported.

Conservative lawmakers are pushing for either a total ban on abortions or only allowing abortions up until six weeks. The Slovakian parliament will begin debating preliminary abortion laws in September, according to Reuters.

Women obtained 11,000 abortions in Slovakia a decade ago — a number that has dropped to 6,000 abortions in 2018, the publication reported. Slovakia has a population of 5.4 million. A 2011 census in Slovakia found that 62% of the population is Roman Catholic, while 6% of the population is Protestant.