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Apologies for cross posting- but feel this is important to share across the world as much as possible ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Free Birth in Hungary < <mailto:free%40birth.hu> [log in to unmask]> Date: Fri, Feb 10, 2012 at 3:54 PM Subject: Hungarian midwife, Ágnes Geréb sentenced to two years of imprisonment To: <mailto:press-all%40szuleteshaz.hu> [log in to unmask] Cc: <mailto:midwife_org%40szuleteshaz.hu> [log in to unmask], <mailto:midwife_personal%40szuleteshaz.hu> [log in to unmask], <mailto:hungamb%40szuleteshaz.hu> [log in to unmask] *The Court Applied a Double Standard:* *the Verdict is More Severe in the Case of Ágnes Geréb* * * The Hungarian Court sentenced Ágnes Geréb to two years imprisonment, the 5 year ban from practicing her profession had been changed to 10 years. She is the first Hungarian midwife-obstetrician ever to receive a sentence of imprisonment. The Justice for Ágnes Geréb Movement and the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union was shocked by the verdict. According to their position *midwives were not provided the chance of real self-defense* in front of the court. Although several international experts, among them the previous head of the World Health Organization (WHO) verified that Hungarian midwives did not commit any mistakes, the court had not considered their opinions and refused to hear them as witnesses. *The court applies a double standard*: it judges hospital and out of institution births differently. While hospital doctors are rarely in front of a criminal court and their cases mostly end in suspension, in the case of midwives criminal procedure starts immediately when there are any complications. In other countries issues of midwifery are discussed, investigated and judged in front of a professional board of obstetricians and midwives, in Hungary *it is exclusively the doctors who submit their opinion having no experience with homebirth practices*. By today’s verdict the court maintains the criminalization of midwifery. The HCLU and the Movement trusts in the positive judgment of the Hungarian President in relation to the presidential pardon submitted in the case of Ágnes Geréb and in that the President puts an end to the prosecution of midwives. After the announcement of the verdict Elizabeth Prochaska, British human rights lawyer and Irene Walton, renowned British midwife-supervisor spoke in support of Hungarian midwives at the demonstration taking place in front of the court building. *Justice for Ágnes Geréb Movement* ** *For further information please contact:* ** *Palma Fazakas: <mailto:pfazakas%40yahoo.com> [log in to unmask]* *or Gabriella Nagy: <mailto:gabi73%40gmail.com> [log in to unmask]* *+36-30-572-2506* *or <mailto:free%40birth.hu> [log in to unmask]* * *