For Immediate Release
Friday, September 23, 2022

Contact: Morgan Dick, mdick@azdem.org
 

ADP Statement on Pima County Ruling Ending Nearly All Abortion Access + Criminalizing Healthcare Providers 

The 1864, “Territorial Ban”, ARS 13-3603 Now In Affect in Arizona

PHOENIX — Today, a judge in Pima County Superior Court issued a ruling supporting Republicans like Blake Masters, Kari Lake, and Abe Hamadeh’s call to reinstate a 158 year old law outlawing nearly all abortion and criminalizing doctors.

The 1864 criminalizing abortion was created before Arizona even became a state and requires mandatory jail time for doctors who provide abortion health services in the state of Arizona. The territorial-era law contains no exceptions for cases of rape or incest.

As a reminder, 87% of Arizona voters — including 89% of Independents and 81% of Republicans — support the right to safe and legal abortion. 

Following today’s ruling, Arizona Democratic Party Chair Raquel Terán released the following statement:

“Today I am heartsick for my fellow Arizonans. I am horrified that Arizona is now a state where a fringe minority has taken our state back in time over a century, putting the lives of so many in the balance. Make no mistake, when people are unable to seek out abortions, they will die – families and communities will suffer because Republicans will stop at nothing to control our bodies. Meanwhile, Arizona Democrats are on the frontlines of fighting for our freedoms – and we still stop at nothing.”

“To my fellow Arizonans who are continually horrified by the actions of dangerous, out-of-touch Republicans in the war against our bodies: Arizonans are a united front on this issue, and we will protect mothers, families, doctors, and medical professionals because no one should be thrown in jail for providing or receiving essential medical care.”

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