Oklahoma Governor Signs Total Abortion Ban into Law

HAVANA TIMES – Oklahoma’s Republican Governor Kevin Stitt has signed into law a total ban on abortion in the state, reported Democracy Now on Wednesday. The law is quite similar to those existing in several Central American countries including Daniel Ortega’s Nicaragua and Nayib Bukele’s El Salvador. The danger to a woman’s health and rights is not a consideration for those leaders.

Gov. Kevin Stitt: “We want Oklahoma to be the most pro-life state in the country. We want to outlaw abortion in the state of Oklahoma.”

The law makes performing an abortion in Oklahoma a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine. Reproductive rights advocates say the Oklahoma law is one of the most sweeping abortion bans because there is no exception for rape or incest and the ban starts at conception.

In related news, Yelp has become the latest company offering to reimburse costs for workers and their spouses who must travel out of state to access abortion care. Other companies offering a similar benefit include Citigroup, Match, Bumble, Lyft and Uber.