Florida's abortion ban back in effect as state appeals

Southern US states continue court battles after Roe v Wade overturned

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Florida's 15-week ban on abortions is back in effect on Tuesday, after an appeal from the state brought an automatic freeze on a court blocking the restriction.

A judge last week issued an order temporarily striking down the law after reproductive healthcare providers argued that Florida's constitution guarantees a right to abortion.

The state immediately filed its appeal of the order, which put the law back in effect.

Florida's law prohibits women from receiving abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions if the procedure is needed to save the mother's life, prevent serious injury or if the foetus has an abnormality.

It does not grant exception if the pregnancy was caused by rape or incest.

The law was similar to the one in Mississippi on which the Supreme Court ruled when it overturned Roe v Wade last month, ending a woman's federal right to an abortion.

A Mississippi court allowed the state's abortion law to take effect on Thursday.

The judge rejected a request from Mississippi's only abortion clinic to temporarily block a law banning most abortions in the state.

In Louisiana, the state's attorney general asked the state Supreme Court to permit an enforcement on a ban on most abortions.

Louisiana was one of several states with a “trigger law” banning the procedure immediately after Roe v Wade was overturned, but this was blocked by a state judge last week following a lawsuit filed by one of the state's abortion clinics.

Tension and anger outside Mississippi's last abortion clinic

Tension and anger outside Mississippi's last abortion clinic

Tension and anger outside Mississippi's last abortion clinic

Agencies contributed to this report

Updated: July 05, 2022, 9:02 PM