Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Official apology made to woman in forced abortion case

Updated at 5:40 am on 16 June 2012

City officials in China have suspended three county officials and apologised to a woman who was forced to have an abortion seven months into her pregnancy.

The BBC reports Chinese law clearly prohibits abortions beyond six months.

The case happened in Shaanxi province.

Xinhua news agency said the Ankang city government said it decided to suspend three officials in Zhenping county following initial investigations. It also urged the county government to conduct a thorough review of its family planning operations.

On Thursday night, the city officials apologised to Feng Jianmei, 27, and her family.

Xinhua said she was ''forced to terminate her pregnancy'' at a hospital in Zhenping on 2 June.

Officials in Zhenping county claimed she agreed to the abortion because she was not allowed to have a second child by law. She already has a daughter, born in 2007.

But she was reportedly forced into the abortion as she could not pay the fine for having a second child.

Photos showing a foetus and Ms Feng Jianmei, sparked outrage among internet users.

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