Mexico's High Court Will Hear Case Against Abortion Law
By The Associated Press
Thu, May. 31 2007

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico's Supreme Court said Tuesday it will hear a legal challenge to a landmark Mexico City abortion law while the capital's mayor promised hospitals would carry on performing abortions until judges ruled on the case.

Supreme Court Justice Sergio Salvador Aguirre said arguments that abortions violate the constitutional right to life were strong enough to warrant a full review that could lead to the law being thrown out. The court did not announce a date for opening deliberations.

The heated debate over abortion pits Mexico City's leftist government against conservative President Felipe Calderon and the influential Roman Catholic Church. The legal challenges were filed by two federal agencies, the Attorney General's Office and National Human Rights Commission.

The law allowing abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy was approved last month by the leftist-dominated Mexico City assembly. the rest