{"id":275904,"date":"2022-09-12T12:50:41","date_gmt":"2022-09-12T17:50:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=275904"},"modified":"2022-09-11T19:32:55","modified_gmt":"2022-09-12T00:32:55","slug":"european-court-down-syndrome-ban","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/european-court-down-syndrome-ban\/","title":{"rendered":"European Court rules against free speech in Down syndrome video ban"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled against a group that promoted a video with a message of encouragement about the full and enriching lives people with Down syndrome can have. The ruling is a significant blow to free speech in the country.<\/p>\n

Titled “Dear Future Mom,” the video is a heartwarming message to mothers who learn that their preborn child may have Down syndrome. It begins with an email message from a pregnant mom.\u00a0\u201cI\u2019m expecting a baby,” she writes. “I\u2019ve discovered he has Down syndrome. I\u2019m scared: what kind of life will my child have?\u201d<\/p>\n

What follows are words of encouragement from 15 people with Down syndrome, who reassure the mother that people with Down syndrome can go to school, get a job, live on their own, and have happy and fulfilling lives.<\/p>\n

Despite its encouraging message, France banned the video from airing because it was \u201clikely to disturb the conscience of women who had lawfully made different personal life choices.\u201d\u00a0In short \u2014 the video was prohibited because it may make women who choose to have an abortion feel bad. In France, an estimated 68 percent<\/a> of preborn babies with Down syndrome are aborted.<\/p>\n