Fyi
---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: latest update on Agnes Gereb/2 year prison sentence imposed
From:    "donal kerry" <[log in to unmask]>
Date:    Fri, 25 March, 2011 12:28 am


Hi to those of you who have show great interest and support in the case of
Agnes Gereb.
As u will read from the press release below Agnes finds herself in even
more challenging waters after today's court judgement. The campaign team
will be discussing a range of likely moves to mount both an effective
legal appeal and also to attempt to have the sentence dropped through a
presidental pardon. Additionally, we must see if there are any other
useful avenue to explore in our efforts to right this grossly unjust
wrong.For sure we will continue to need the great support of the
international community to put further pressure on the Hungarian State to
step away from this victimisation of Agnes and also to stop criminalising
the whole area of homebirth. To this end we would very much count on your
continued help and energy and I will come back to you in the coming days
with more specific actions that you might be able to help us with.
Best regards and thanks for your continued support
Donal Kerry


Dr. Ágnes Geréb, internationally respected
Hungarian midwife, sentenced to two years in prison.

On 24th
March, The Budapest Court of Justice concluded its judgement on four birth
cases before it involving Dr Agnes Geréb and four other midwives.  It
found Dr. Gereb guilty of endangering life
in the pursuit of her professional duties and sentenced her to two years
imprisonment.
She was also debarred from practicing as a midwife or obstetrician for 5
years.
Three of the midwives were acquitted while the fourth was fined . Dr.
Geréb will appeal the judgement and there will be a stay
on her prison sentence pending the outcome of this appeal. Currently, Dr.
Geréb
remains under severe house arrest conditions
(since December 23rd,2010) in connection with separate birth cases
while the State Prosecution Service continue to gather evidence in these
matters.

The court’s decision confirmed
the double standards that apply when
dealing with birth difficulties arising in hospital verse out of hospital
situations. In Hungary, the many annual hospital deaths that occur never
appear
in a criminal court while nearly all midwives contested birth actions are
automatically brought into the criminal jurisdiction.  Many
 highly respected international experts submitted
written expert opinions attesting that the Hungarian midwives had not
committed
any errors at the births, but unfortunately they were not allowed to
present
their evidence before the judge. Instead, the only experts present in
court
were the many Hungarian doctors attesting on behalf of the prosecution.
The
Court failed to recognize that homebirths strive to avoid the use of
unnecessary interventions and the judge evaluated the midwives actions
by reference to hospital protocols when coming to his conclusions.
Despite the imminent introduction of first-time homebirth
regulations no professional midwifery body will exist who could evaluate
 the
birth actions of midwives as is the case in nearly all other developed
countries.

Hungarian and international supporters
of Dr. Geréb and of the natural birth process will now set out, through the
various channels available to them, to voice their objection and condemnation
of the judgement handed down in this case.  It is one that confirms the
continued criminalization
of homebirth in Hungay affecting the midwives who provide the medical care
and
the hundred of parents who yearly chose this option.