03.39 am, Thursday May 24 2012

Abortion rallies support Cairns couple

18:31 AEDT Sat Oct 9 2010
Lisa Martin
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Women rally in support of Qld couple
Protesters have rallied in support of a young Queensland couple facing trial over a home abortion.

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Women have rallied across Australia in support of a young Queensland couple facing trial this week over a home abortion.

Tegan Simone Leach, 20, and her partner, Sergie Brennan, 22, were in 2009 committed to stand trial for allegedly importing abortion drugs from the Ukraine to terminate a pregnancy.

Ms Leach is charged with procuring an abortion and could face seven years in jail if convicted.

Mr Brennan is charged with supplying drugs to procure an abortion and could be sentenced to three years' jail if convicted.

The trial, scheduled to begin on October 12 in the Cairns District Court, is Queensland's first abortion trial in 24 years.

The case has revealed a flaw in Queensland's criminal code which offers legal protection for surgical abortions only.

Doctors across the state have refused to offer the abortion drug RU486 since the legal ambiguity was revealed, fearing they could face prosecution.

About 150 people braved soggy conditions to protest in Brisbane on Saturday, with simultaneous rallies in Sydney and Melbourne.

Campaigners called on Queensland Premier Anna Bligh to repeal the "archaic" law.

Queensland Greens senator Larissa Waters told the rally she was in disbelief the case was going to trial.

"What a shame we have a female leader in this state who isn't standing up for female issues," Senator Waters said.

"Shame on Anna Bligh ... I feel let down as a woman that she isn't taking a stronger stand on this.

"We need to get these laws off our books."

Brisbane protest organiser Kathy Newnam told AAP on Saturday the case against the Cairns couple could set a dangerous precedent.

"The charges should never have been brought against them in the first place," Ms Newnam said.

"The whole world is going to be watching this case."

Ms Newnam said it was a cop-out for Ms Bligh to say she wouldn't have the numbers to overturn the legislation.

"How dare they hide behind the conscience vote?" Ms Newnam said.

"How dare they impose their so called conscience on our bodies?"

Half a dozen pro-life campaigners gatecrashed the rally and stood next to the stage area, holding signs saying: "Thank your mother you were not aborted."

Pro-choice supporters jostled to block the signs from view with umbrellas and their own "right to choose" banners.

In Sydney, about 100 people gathered for the national day of action on abortion rights.

In Melbourne, pro-life activists outnumbered pro-choice campaigners by 400 to 200 on the steps of Victoria's Parliament House.

Melbourne pro-choice campaigner Debbie Brennan told AAP the cashed-up pro-life movement bused in people from across the state.

Ms Brennan said the protest was peaceful but vocal.

"It's the second anniversary of the decriminalisation of abortion in Victoria, so that's why they were here, they want it changed back," she said.

 

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