The Abortion Law & Discussions In Turkey

For the last couple of weeks abortion has been a hot agenda for  Turkey.

PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan suggested that abortion is murder. After his statement, whole country just forgot the ‘new constitiution, EU Relations etc..’ and put their effort into this topic.

Even though abortion ban is not an unfamiliar topic in Europe and US, it is highly strange for Turks. If I am not mistaken this is the  first time Turks discuss about it.

Abortion out of nowhere

For those of you who have no idea about Turkey, first thing you must know is that change happens so fast in this country. You go buy a newspaper at 9 a.m. it becomes old at that hour.  So as usual,  this abortion topic popped out so fast.  People had no idea about this. People divided into two as can be imagined. Some says, yes abortion should be banned some says no. Let’s take a look at different reactions among Turkish society, and then I will explain my own idea.

AKP Side

PM defends himself saying we should increase our population. If not, in the future we will end up as Europe. He also has a policy which supports his argument. He wants families to have at leats 3 children for the sake of future population.

Yes, abortion should be banned

People who support this idea are most likely AKP (Ruling Party) voters. They had no idea why they support the ban in the first weeks of discussion. There is no religious background or something else too, just nothing. They think it is true because PM says so. Ministry of Health said: ” Women who are raped should keep their babies either. If they can not take care of baby after birth the state will take on the responsibility”  Arguments like this were unhealthy and ridiculous.

In the following weeks they have developed more solid arguements but in the begining their behaviour was moronic.

No, you can’t do this

We can categories ‘No front’ as ‘chronic opposition’ . If AKP says we will colonize the Venus and our scientist will create an endless power source from a mineral which exist in the Venus, they will say NO. I believe they would march in Taksim with banners saying FREE VENUS.  They are opposed to everyting that AKP do. So this people don’t consider the abortion on a social or biological basis, instead they are more concerned with politics. Here is why they say no:

• ” Abortion is a right “
• “My body, my decision “
• ” AKP take your hands off my body “

As you see there are no reasonable argument.  ‘No front’  have orginized many events to protest. Many columnists supported them.  But the columnists are as idot as they are. They keep accusing AKP for acting with religious concerns. So as the ‘Yes Front’ , ‘No Front’ has moronic ideas.

They just couldn’t take this discussion to the right ground. No one was talking about ‘the life’ of the unborn. It drives me crazy. This situation lasted for weeks. Can you believe it?

In my opinion

There is no religious motivation for banning or allowing abortion. People keep saying yes and no but they really have no idea.  In the first place I had no idea too. But after I googled, I have seen that there are many different approaches in the Europe. In my opinion if baby is able to born without any physical or mental damage to mother and him/herself it shouln’t be aborted. So I think that on-demand abortion is murder unless…

On-Demand abortion can be allowed if only, the baby have not vital signs meaning that if it is not alive yet. When it is alive I think it is murder to undertake an abortion. And it is doctors call to say if it is alive.  Becasue if that baby is alive;

• ” It is not your right to kill him/her “
• ” It is your body but death sentence decision still not yours to make “

On the other hand, I think abortion should be an option for the mother (we never think about father) in such cases like ;

• Dangerous sitiuations for the health of mother or child.
• Rape
• If mother can not afford to take of baby – Socioeconomic reasons.

So, I find a gray area on my own. I think there will be people who are against me. I may be mistaken at some points but at least I am discussing it on the right basis and I am not a blind fanatic. Health, social situation, and right to live… headlines people never care to talk about. Just say yes if you are AKP supporter, say no if you are against AKP and accuse them for restraining freedom.

Welcome to Turkey. Enjoy the country.