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I know the abortion debate on Gaia tends to center on the situation in the US - quite understandably, given its userbase.

However, recently this move by the Dutch Prosecution has managed to make me severely fear for the future of full availability of abortion. The only account of the story I found in English is found in the first link; the second one is a much more detailed source, but sadly in Dutch. Babelfish might be useful.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/12/06/europe/EU-GEN-Netherlands-Abortion-Arrest.php
http://www.womenonwaves.nl/

Summarizing: a 24-year old woman obtained an abortion in Spain, which under Dutch law was (probably - I'll come back to that) illegal. Elective abortion is legal until 24 weeks gestation, emergency abortions for medical reasons may occur over the entire course of the pregnancy.
In the case of a woman applying for an elective abortion in the later stage of the legal period, the fetal age is determined by the size and weight of the fetus. Given variations in size and development, a 22-week fetus could very well have the size of a 26-week old fetus.
The woman in question maintains that she obtained her abortion at 22 weeks, whereas the prosecution sides with the OB/GYN who saw her and who claims the fetus was a 26-week one.

In Spain, however, abortion laws differ. Elective abortion is an option throughout the pregnancy, but for a third trimester abortion to be legal, psychiatric evaluation is required to prove "mental anguish" of some sort.

Now - for any crime perpetrated abroad to become a punishable offense under Dutch law, the act must be prohibited in both countries.
Arguably, such is not the case here. In Spain, the procedure was perfectly legal. In the Netherlands, it may have been. Essentially, prosecution is unable to prove it was even a punishable offense in the Netherlands, let alone a doubly punishable offense, as is required for prosecution here.

I hope you're still with me after that wall of text wink

Two things bother me greatly in this travesty of justice:
- The blatant willingness of the prosecution to twist existing laws to prosecute a woman in a desperate situation (her being Muslim and putting her at risk for revenge from family members should they find out she had sex at all)
- The fact that it was the woman who was prosecuted, in stead of the doctor performing the procedure. Isn't the doctor the perpetrator wherever an illegal abortion is performed?

And perhaps thirdly the discomforting ease with which one religiously oriented cabinet succeeds in nibbling at rights we thought were firmly established. It's a reminder to never stop the fight for our rights.

Am I right in fearing for the future of fairness and freedom?

Anyway. Offering you the European perspective, as it were.

Well, I don't think either should be punished, obviously, but I do think that it should have been the woman if either were punished because she broke the law of her country, while the doctor was just doing his job.

Odd question, if they were able to detain her, would united nations step in to clear things out, or is it that some people want her arrested and the others think that she shouldn't be?

It seems perfectly reasonable to me. Remember, this was an elective procedure. The woman chose to do it. The doctor is guillty, too, but the woman knew what she was doing. Lifers often say they want the doctors, not the women, to be punished if abortion becomes illegal. They claim that the woman was a vicitm.This attitude shows a complete lack of understanding and respect for a woman's ability to think for herself and make her own decisions. Furthermore, it scapegoats abortion providers.

Sadly the Christian/Jewish world is biased against Muslims. She wanted an abortion and she should of been able to get one. Big deal she got one in Spain. It is legal and the OB/GYN should be on her side, why would he want to stop her from getting an abortion? I just don't understand. If I put a tent on a beach in Vietnam (it is illegal to put tents up here) then when I go home should I be fined? Nope. If I cross the border into another state with no parental consent laws and get an abortion. Should I get punished? I don't think so because no one can determine why I didn't want my parents to know. The Muslim people are going to hate this woman because of this OB/GYN and she is at risk because if Muslims are reading this she is at risk for an 'honor killing' and theese people are turning her into a whore, who can't make her own decisions. What is the world coming to???