10/09/2020 (Agence Europe) – In a letter published on Thursday 10 September, Dunja Mijatović, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, calls on the National Council of the Slovak Republic to reject a draft law that would limit access to abortion. This letter was sent to the President of the National Council and the Committee Chairs for Constitutional and Legal Affairs, Health and Social Affairs Committees on 7 September. It makes two proposals: the extension of the reflection period (from 48 to 96 hours) and the introduction of new conditions for access to therapeutic abortion requiring not one, but two medical certificates justifying the intervention. These measures contravene the guidelines of the World Health Organization and the recommendations addressed to the Slovak Republic by human rights bodies, including her Office, the Commissioner emphasises. (VL)