Latest news with #Ijaz
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
WV Prosecuting Attorneys Association issues statement on potential for prosecution against women who miscarry
CHARLESTON, WV (WVNS) — WV Prosecuting Attorneys Association issues statement on the potential for prosecution against women who miscarry The statement below comes after Raleigh County Prosecuting Attorney Tom Truman said that a number of criminal charges under state code, including felonies, could be levied against a woman who flushes fetal remains, buries them, or otherwise disposes of remains following an involuntary abortion, also called a miscarriage. Attorney for pregnancy rights group says West Virginia law protects women who miscarry Truman added that he would be unwilling to prosecute such cases. The WVPAA statement is below was given in an attempt at 'Setting the Record Straight on Miscarriages and Criminal Law': The West Virginia Prosecuting Attorneys Association (WVPAA) wishes to clarify that recent public statements made regarding this subject do not reflect the consensus, official position, or legal interpretation of the Association, its Officers, Board members, or members of its Legislative Committee. This is not a subject matter that has been widely discussed among West Virginia prosecutors, nor does it need to be, and any comments that are not from the WVPAA were made without coordination or endorsement from the WVPAA. The WVPAA wants to make abundantly clear that any assertion that individuals who experience the unfortunate event of a miscarriage in West Virginia should be notifying law enforcement or face potential criminal prosecution is incorrect and not supported by West Virginia law. The WVPAA does not agree with or support the idea that experiencing a miscarriage could, or should, trigger criminal liability. Such a position is contrary to both the law and the values held by prosecutors across our state, who remain committed to justice, compassion, and the appropriate application of criminal statutes. We urge the public and media to rely on verified, accurate legal information and to contact the WVPAA with any questions about prosecutorial perspectives or the interpretation of West Virginia law. West Virginia Prosecuting Attorneys Association On Tuesday, June 3, 2025, an attorney for Pregnancy Justice, a New York group which defends women who face criminal charges based on pregnancy, agreed that there is a push among some prosecutors throughout the U.S. to file criminal charges against women for pregnancy loss and behaviors during pregnancy. 'Prosecutors wield a lot of discretion,' said Kulsoom Ijaz, senior policy counsel for Pregnancy Justice. 'There are countless unjust and unfounded prosecutions every day in this country.' Ijaz also said that the legal framework in West Virginia also does not support a prosecutor bringing a charge against a miscarrying woman who flushes or otherwise disposes of fetal remains. 'West Virginia does not have a broad fetal personhood law that grants fetuses Constitutional rights,' said Ijaz. 'Those laws cannot then be taken and extended to fertilized eggs, embryos and fetuses in West Virginia.'Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Attorney for pregnancy rights group says West Virginia law protects women who miscarry
BECKLEY, WV (WVNS) — West Virginia state code does not specifically bar a prosecutor from charging a woman who miscarries or has an abortion and then disposes of fetal remains from facing criminal charges under state code that governs disposal of human remains, but an attorney for a New York non-profit said that current laws in West Virginia do not support such a charge. Raleigh County Prosecuting Attorney Tom Truman told 59News on Friday that he has spoken with prosecutors in West Virginia who say they are willing to file charges against women who dispose of fetal remains, using state code related to the disposal of human bodies. Truman made the statement when responding to a question posed by 59News and prompted by a case involving fetal remains in Mercer County. He emphasized he would not be willing to prosecute a woman for a pregnancy outcome. He said, however, that some prosecutors in the state would be willing to file such charges, particularly if the woman who lost the pregnancy did not seem emotionally distressed. 'I've been to prosecutor meetings where these people were all about prosecuting women for having abortions,' he added, emphasizing the strong beliefs held by some prosecutors. While West Virginia enacted a near-total ban on abortion, state law forbids prosecutors from charging women with crimes related to their own abortion or miscarriage. However, there are no laws explicitly barring a criminal prosecution based on how the woman disposes of fetal remains. Truman said on Friday that women who report the miscarriage to authorities within 48 hours would protect themselves against a potential charge of concealing a dead body. Truman's revelation of prosecutors' intentions prompted widespread focus on state code and how it may be applied in situations involving pregnancy. On Tuesday, June 3, 2025, an attorney for Pregnancy Justice, a New York group which defends women who face criminal charges based on pregnancy, agreed that there is a push among some prosecutors throughout the U.S. to file criminal charges against women for pregnancy loss and behaviors during pregnancy. Core Natural Resources officials warn miners of impending lay-off at Itmann #5 'Prosecutors wield a lot of discretion,' said Kulsoom Ijaz, senior policy counsel for Pregnancy Justice. 'There are countless unjust and unfounded prosecutions every day in this country.' In neighboring Ohio, prosecutors in Trumbull County charged a woman who flushed her toilet after a miscarriage with felony abuse of a corpse. Later, grand jurors refused to indict her on the charge, and Ijaz said Ohio laws did not support the criminal charge. Ijaz said that the legal framework in West Virginia also does not support a prosecutor bringing a charge against a miscarrying woman who flushes or otherwise disposes of fetal remains. 'West Virginia does not have a broad fetal personhood law that grants fetuses Constitutional rights,' said Ijaz. 'Those laws cannot then be taken and extended to fertilized eggs, embryos and fetuses in West Virginia.' Once again, people are asking if there are mountain lions in the Mountain State Ijaz said West Virginia pregnancy law, like Ohio, is not built around the concept of 'fetal personhood,' which is the idea that a fertilized egg or a fetus has the same legal rights as a person. Ijaz said that, as a result, West Virginia law bars women from being punished or facing criminal charges related to their own abortion, miscarriage or stillbirth. She said the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals has also ruled that a woman may not be charged with child abuse if she uses substances during pregnancy. 'Miscarriage and stillbirths are medical events and tragedies, not crimes, and I think people in West Virginia understand that,' she added. 'There is no basis in the law for punishing that kind of outcome.' Ijaz said that a number of states, including Alabama, have made 'fetal personhood' the law. As a result, she said, prosecutors in those states are given legal leeway to apply existing law to cases involving fertilized eggs, zygotes, embryos and fetuses. Two minors banned after reported incident at a park in Fayette County 'This has also been the basis for taking away the right to IVF care like we saw in Alabama,' Ijaz explained. 'It's also being used to prosecute and punish pregnant people for outcomes of their pregnancy, whether that's a miscarriage or a stillbirth.' She said that a proactive step West Virginia lawmakers could take is to pass laws similar to Colorado's Reproductive Health Equity Act. 'That's what I would encourage folks in West Virginia to focus on,' she said. 'And if you are a pregnant or post-partum woman who is experiencing this kind of punishment, to please reach out to Pregnancy Justice. We may be able to help.' Truman, whose comments went viral on social media, suggested on Tuesday that public discussion regarding West Virginia's reproductive and criminal law was a positive development. Truman pointed out that, unlike neighboring Ohio, West Virginia voters have not been given an opportunity since 2022 to vote on an amendment enshrining reproductive rights in the state. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Express Tribune
23-05-2025
- Express Tribune
Cop caught red-handed in kidnapping case
Islamabad Police have arrested an Indian national for not possessing travel and visa documents. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE A member of Islamabad police was arrested for allegedly kidnapping a citizen in Rawalpindi and demanding ransom for his release while his accomplices, reportedly officials of twin cities' police fled the scene after releasing the abductees. According to sources, the incident took place when permit-holding individuals, including Javed Masih, exited a private bar in Rawalpindi with legally acquired liquor. They were stopped by police in the jurisdiction of the Civil Lines police station. Despite showing valid permits and documentation, the police took them in their own vehicle to an unknown location, they said. Family members of the abductees, upon realising their sudden disappearance, contacted Police Emergency 15 and the IG Complaint Cell. They also approached the Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Office in Rawalpindi. Director excise ordered an immediate investigation led by a female inspector and the case was escalated to the CPO Rawalpindi. During this time, one of the kidnappers contacted a victim's son using the victim's own phone, demanding Rs300,000 for release. Authorities staged a sting operation, pretending to agree to the ransom deal. The abductors kept changing locations, from PWD Islamabad to Scheme-3 and finally to Gulzar-e-Quaid, before instructing the victim's son to meet on Airport Road. A man arrived to collect the ransom, but was apprehended on the spot by police and excise teams, along with the victim's relatives. The suspect was armed and identified himself as Ijaz, a member of Islamabad Police's Dolphin Force. Ijaz revealed the involvement of another police officer named Arsalan from Rawalpindi's Sadiqabad police station and a broker named Kashif, who posed as an ASI in plain clothes. As Ijaz was apprehended, three other suspects fled, leaving the abductees and their belongings behind. A spokesperson stated that the CPO took notice of the case and ordered the registration of FIR. Charges include illegal detention, extortion and unlawful possession of arms. Officer Arsalan has been arrested, suspended, and is facing departmental action.
Express Tribune
02-03-2025
- Express Tribune
Two cops wounded in ambush
Unknown miscreants opened fire on a motorway police vehicle near the Sangjani Interchange on M-1 near Jand village, injuring two officers. The intensity of the gunfire set the vehicle on fire, damaging not only the vehicle but also the government-issued rifles, wireless sets, bulletproof vests, and the officers' mobile phones. According to the police, the fire completely destroyed the vehicle, and the bullets in the rifle's magazine continued to discharge. The police vehicle had been on its routine patrol when the gunmen opened fire from the bushes near Jand village. The two injured officers, Sub-Inspector Ijaz and Head Constable Muhammad Ibrahim, barely managed to escape the vehicle as it caught fire. Local police in Taxila have registered a case against the unidentified assailants under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) Section 7, attempted murder (Section 324), and other relevant sections. The attackers managed to flee the scene. According to Sub-Inspector Ijaz, they were patrolling when three armed individuals emerged from the bushes and opened fire on their vehicle. The officers were injured, and the vehicle was completely destroyed by the fire. The attackers caused terror and attempted to kill them, he said.
