REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - The Government Regulation No. 61/2014 on reproductive health, which permits abortion for the victims of rape, is contrary to Law No. 23/2002 on child protection, women and children observer Giwo Rubianto stated.

"In the perspective of child protection, abortion of a 40-day-old fetus of a rape victim is against Law No.23/2002 on child protection," Rubianto remarked on Tuesday.

He noted that the law on child protection stipulated that a fetus in the womb had the right to life and survival, and thus, abortion was against these rights. According to him, Regulation No. 61/2014 on abortion has stirred a controversy, but the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) has opined that abortion is allowed under certain conditions.

The Government's Regulation No. 61/2014 was announced on July 21. As per one of the articles in the regulation, abortion is allowed if the pregnancy threatens the mother's life or if the mother was raped, and the pregnancy can cause a psychological trauma to the victim. The legalization of Regulation Number 61 sparked a controversy among several people.

Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin has stated that the government would allow abortion if the pregnancy physically and mentally threatens the mother.

Doctors and medical experts are assigned the task to decide whether an abortion is deemed necessary or not. The abortion must be conducted before the fetus is 4 months old.

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