A Swedish nurse who refuses to assist in performing abortions claims that she has been denied employment because of her religious beliefs.
She says it is a violation of her freedom of conscience and has made a formal complaint to the Swedish Discrimation Ombudsman. In addition, complaint has been filed with the Council of Europe.
Sweden does not allow practising nurses and doctors to conscientiously object to abortion.
The nurse, Ellinor Grimmark told the newspaper Aftonbladet: “As a midwife, I want to exercise a profession which defends life and saves lives at all cost. Are healthcare practitioners in Sweden to be forced to take part in procedures that extinguish life, at its beginning or final stages?”
Grimmark is being represented by Ruth Nordstrom, CEO of Pro Vita, a pro-life foundation in Sweden. Pro Vita is also making a formal complaint to the Council of Europe, alleging that Sweden is in breach of European law in a number of areas including freedom of conscience.
The Council’s declaration on religious freedom states:
“We, the 47 member states of the Council of Europe, strongly condemn such acts and all forms of incitement to religious hatred and violence. Freedom of thought, conscience and religion is an inalienable right enshrined in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and guaranteed by Article 18 of the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and by Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights, of which the Council of Europe is the custodian.
There can be no democratic society based on mutual understanding and tolerance without respect for freedom of thought, conscience and religion. Its enjoyment is an essential precondition for living together.”
A Swedish nurse who refuses to assist in performing abortions claims that she has been denied employment because of her religious beliefs.
She says it is a violation of her freedom of conscience and has formal complaint to the Swedish Discrimation Ombudsman. In addition, complaint has been filed with the Council of Europe.
Sweden does not allow nurses and doctors to conscientiously object to abortion.
The nurse, Ellinor Grimmark told the newspaper Aftonbladet: “As a midwife, I want to exercise a profession which defends life and saves lives at all cost. Are healthcare practitioners in Sweden to be forced to take part in procedures that extinguish life, at its beginning or final stages?”
Grimmark is being represented by Ruth Nordstrom, CEO of Pro Vita, a pro-life foundation in Sweden. Pro Vita is also making a formal complaint to the Council of Europe, alleging that Sweden is in breach of European law in a number of areas including freedom of conscience.
The Council’s declaration on religious freedom states:
“We, the 47 member states of the Council of Europe, strongly condemn such acts and all forms of incitement to religious hatred and violence. Freedom of thought, conscience and religion is an inalienable right enshrined in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and guaranteed by Article 18 of the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and by Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights, of which the Council of Europe is the custodian.
There can be no democratic society based on mutual understanding and tolerance without respect for freedom of thought, conscience and religion. Its enjoyment is an essential precondition for living together.”
