Pregnant Inmate Forced To Undergo Abortion To Be Eligible for Death Penalty in China

[siceone]

Pregnant Inmate Forced To Undergo Abortion To Be Eligible for Death Penalty in China

27 Aug 2004

Chinese prison officials have forced a pregnant inmate found guilty of transporting heroin to undergo an abortion so that she could be eligible for the death penalty, according to a report published on Wednesday, AFP/Yahoo! News reports.

Ma Weihua in January was arrested in Gansu province for transporting 56 ounces of heroin from Xinjiang province. Under China's criminal code, individuals convicted of trafficking that amount of heroin can be executed.

However, following Ma's arrest, prison doctors discovered during a routine physical exam that she was approximately seven weeks pregnant. Under Chinese law, pregnant women and people younger than age 18 cannot be executed.

What are Pre-eclampsia and Eclampsia?

Although Ma said she wanted to carry the pregnancy to term, officers from the anti-drug task force at the Chengguan police substation in February signed a consent form ordering an abortion "on her behalf," according to AFP/Yahoo! News.

The consent form stated that the substation director requested that Ma be forced to undergo the procedure because she was "uncooperative." The form also noted that Ma was given general anesthesia -- which put her to sleep -- instead of the local anesthetic usually used for early-term abortions, according to Ma's attorney Weng Weihua.

Weng last month in the Lanzhou Intermediate People's Court argued in favor of reducing Ma's sentence because of her pregnancy and because she has exhibited remorse, it was her first offense and her actions "did not constitute serious harm to society," AFP/Yahoo! News reports.

A verdict is expected in the next few days, according to AFP/Yahoo! News.

China also has announced that beginning Oct.1 the country will enforce new interrogation rules in order to "curb abuses by police," including the regulation that pregnant women cannot be interrogated for more than four hours and cannot be shut in detention rooms, according to AFP/Yahoo! News (AFP/Yahoo! News, 8/25).

[tres-b]

I would probably use heroin daily if I lived in China. How else would I dull the pain of existing there? Additionally, I think this is an interesting contrast to the closing ceremonies last night. What a joke! How does the IOC award the games to a country that still treats women like livestock. It is disgusting.

[kramadas]

I would probably use heroin daily if I lived in China. How else would I dull the pain of existing there? Additionally, I think this is an interesting contrast to the closing ceremonies last night. What a joke! How does the IOC award the games to a country that still treats women like livestock. It is disgusting.

Your ignorance is just mind-boggling.

[tres-b]

I was kidding about the heroin, but not about the livestock comment. I cant believe you dont find this horrifying.

[vicman]

and one wonders why China has "Normal Trade Relations" status -formerly known as Most Favored-Nation status with the US.

[kramadas]

I was kidding about the heroin, but not about the livestock comment. I cant believe you dont find this horrifying.

OK, expand on your comment on "livestock". I think you've got your cultures a little mixed up.

[tres-b]

In Chinese society, male children are considered far more valuable than females. As you are aware, China is a "Communist" state, although there is increasing economic freedom. Families receive child "credits". In other words, you get additional $$ for one child. However, after that, you are deducted. This is supposed to encourage less breeding. Unfortunately in rural areas where agriculture is a way of life, it is imperative that the families have male children. As a result, females are often killed at birth in favor of trying again for a male. I wish I could direct you to the article I read about this last year but I am unable to recall-Newsweek, Time, US News...

Here is a related article and link http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/femaleinfanticide.html

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China

Although the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has created laws that provide equal rights for women and men, female infants in China are subject to horrible abuses. Female infanticide has increased dramatically since the CCP's family planning policy took effect in 1989. The main focus of this program is the "one child per couple" policy. This policy was created in order to prevent the increasing overpopulation of the country. A number of incentives are employed to asure public compliance. For instance, couples are given medical, financial, and educational benefits for compliance. However, punishments including fines, salary cuts, and even the imprisonment of pregnant women are carried out if couples fail to comply. "Children born "out of plan" may not be issued residence cards, which in turn, will deny them education and other benefits provided by the state" (Porras, 1996 p.2). In China, when women marry they become part of their husband's family. Thus, a preference for sons, who will ensure that parents are taken care of in old age, is common.

The preference for male babies coupled with the "one child per couple" policy has led to an increase in female infanticide, the concealment of female births, sex-selective abortion, and the abandonment of infant girls. Although the Chinese governement recognized the risks to female infants in rural areas where anti-female bias is greater, allowing couples to have a second child if the first is a girl, the number of girls who have been subject to murder and neglect, as a result of this policy, numbers in the millions. If parents choose to hide the birth of a daughter, she will have no legal existence. She will face difficulties receiving healthcare, education, and other state services (Porras, 1996). Female infants are subject to neglect and discrimination, as well. As in India, Chinese girls are less likely to be given adequate healthcare and nutrition than their male counterparts. If abandoned or given up for adoption, Chinese infant girls risk horrible neglect and mistreatment in state orphanages. Dubbed "Dying Rooms", these orphanages have almost no boys. Ninety-five percent of the children in them are girls, and the other five percent are boys with mental or physical disabilities. The infant girls spend their days tied to wicker "potty" chairs. They are provided with no toys, physical attention, or mental stimulation. Disease runs rampant in the orphanages, and an estimated one in five children die (Woods, Brian "The Dying Rooms Trust").

A significant imbalance in China's male and female population has created additional abuses against women. For example, the kidnapping and slave-trading of women, primarily from Vietnam, for forced marriages in China claims 8000 victims each year (Manthorpe, 1999). The dramatic imbalance between the number of female and male infants is in large part due to sex-selective abortion. Although the Chinese governement has outlawed the use of ultrasound machines for prenatal sex determination, doctors continue to do so, especially in rural areas (Porras, 1996).

The Chinese government has taken a number of steps to combat the practice of female infanticide, as well as promote and protect women's rights. The Marriage Law and Women's Protection Law prohibit female infanticide, and the latter prohibits discrimination against women who give birth to daughters (Porras, 1996). The Sex Selective Abortion Law and Maternal Health Care Law of 1994 were created to put an end to sex selective abortions, and the latter prohibits the use of medical technology to determine the gender of a fetus (Porras, 1996). Unfortunately, however, the practice continues in China despite these efforts.

Conclusion

Female infanticide is a horrible manifestation of the anti-female bias that continues to pollute socieities throughout the world. Even in technologically advanced and educated societies, the brutal practice continues. The successful eradication of the practice of female infanticide seems an arduous task. In order to combat the phenomenon, careful consideration of the location-specific and cultural factors leading to the practice is necessary.

The education of both men and women, social strategies to improve the status of women, and access to family counseling and healthcare may provide means of eliminating female infanticide, as well as elevating the value assigned to women around the globe.

Regardless, just the treatment of this woman, heroin smuggler or not is miserable. I am pretty far right. I believe that you lose rights when you commit crimes. However, this is too much. Nevermind the death penalty for smuggling, that is a whole other issue.

[kramadas]

smuggling, that is a whole other issue.

Have you been to China? So say you're someone outside the US..never been here, and the only information you got about here was from the media (say, living in Saudi), what kind of impression would you have about the US? And do you think that will be an accurate representation of the country?

[tres-b]

The above was not a "media" article. I am not from China. Rather than say I dont understand, why dont you tell me why the death penalty for smuggling or forcing abortion so you can execute someone is humane. Defend these two points b/c that is really what this discussion is all about.

[siceone]

Have you been to China? So say you're someone outside the US..never been here, and the only information you got about here was from the media (say, living in Saudi), what kind of impression would you have about the US? And do you think that will be an accurate representation of the country?

you seriously can't be defending china

[jtk4]

wel lets put it in perspective people escape from north korea and go to china. That should tell you how fucked up north korea is.

[pattbateman]

raver you are still a fuckin recluse. you need to open your eyes. i firmly believe that you say and agree with things just to be different from everyone else. because you cannot be that stupid.

[kramadas]

The above was not a "media" article. I am not from China. Rather than say I dont understand, why dont you tell me why the death penalty for smuggling or forcing abortion so you can execute someone is humane. Defend these two points b/c that is really what this discussion is all about.

Wait so you're saying the death penalty is only "humane" under certain circumstances (ie, when used in the US)?? There is no "humane" way of instituting the death penalty. I think people should face the harshest penalties for hard drug trafficking, then maybe this shit would stop. Though the death penalty for 1.5 kg is a bit harsh, she knew the potential penalty when she decided to smuggle heroin.

If you are against the death penalty completely (including the US) thats one thing, but if you're for it under only certain "humane" conditions, you're a hypocrite. Talk about "humane" - how about the abuse that goes on in prisons in the US?

Yeah, you not goiing to China has a huge bearing in this, as you pass judgement on a whole society without knowing what the fuck its about. They have some fucked up shit there but all you get is the tidbits from third hand sources. GO there, live there, and then talk shit.

I will give you one thing though, forcing the abortion is not humane.

[kramadas]

raver you are still a fuckin recluse. you need to open your eyes. i firmly believe that you say and agree with things just to be different from everyone else. because you cannot be that stupid.

Son, its a good thing you're going back to school - maybe a study abroad program will do you some good. How many of you people have actually lived in a foreign country, let alone a non-Western society?? haha...and you think to pass judgement on cultures you have NO idea about. All you get is snippets for third or fourth hand sources...the same sources which, when shit is said about the US, are regarded as "liberal puppets".

[tres-b]

I dont think that you can make a case for the death penalty being humane. I stated that forcing an abortion in order to execute someone is not humane. I do support the death penalty, but dont consider it a huge issue. The death penalty does not stop people from committing murders, but at least in this case it is an eye for an eye. Smuggling should not be punished by execution. I dont care how you slice it, this is wrong.

Additionally, am I to believe that the large % of male babies is a result of anything other than the atrocities listed above. I have found these reports in numerous places around the net. This is not isolated. It is not a "media" slant. It is also completely indefensible.

Unless you would like to step up and explain why any of this is ok----

If not, I am going to let this thread die.

[pattbateman]

it its ok to kill unbornchildren then its ok to kill people on death row im my opinion. ill let up my stance on capital punishment when abortion is illegal