Jailed Midwife in Budapest, Hungary, Europe - Agnes Gereb

Ladies,

Time to get in front of your email and start sending messages to everyone you know. I'm an expat here in Budapest and there has been a sad and tragic story going on for too long.

A midwife here has been jailed for complications related to a delivery she assisted. You will see she acted in professional course. She is respected experienced and trained. The best in the country arguable. There are terrible politics and corruption in the medical and legal system that have led to this outcome.

Here is the latest:

http://www.budapest-moms.com/2012/02/hungarian-midwife-agnes-gereb-receives-2-years-in-prison/

Please contact anyone you know that can take a stand on this issue - leadership in the midwifery community, governmental officials - you could contact the US embassy in Budapest and tell them who you are and that you feel this is an unfair and corrupt decision which must be spoken out about. Maybe you know citizens from another country that can contact their local embassy here in Budapest. Creative ideas won't hurt.

The European Court of human rights has become involved in these matters. It is clear they do not believe Hungary is competent to manage them, yet Hungary continues with it's cowboy mentality and misogynistic stance and thumbs its nose in the face of the international community who respects women and their right to birth as they see fit with support.

Here is a history of the case:

http://freegereb.org/english/181-the-case-of-agnes-gereb-independen...

-Claudia

Tags: Agnes, Gereb

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Permalink Reply by Kiersten Figurski on February 20, 2012 at 10:37am

Dear Supporter,

Thank you for all your generous and kind support so far.

Our team was devastated by the verdict of the Hungarian Court in the case of Hungarian midwives. The terms of Ágnes Geréb’s sentence of two year imprisonment were tightened, with the minimum period before she is eligible for parole increased from 12 to 16 months and a ban on practising doubled to ten years.

A request is submitted for full clemency, i.e. to drop the verdict and to suspend all criminal charges against her. Dr. Geréb was arrested on October 5^th, 2010, imprisoned for 77 days, and has been under house arrest for the past 14 months. She will have to return to prison to begin serving her two years sentence. According to Hungarian law she will be notified by the authorities about the exact day of the beginning of imprisonment, which maybe in three weeks or in three months time. Her lawyers also request the delay of the beginning of the sentence.

During the past week six MPs from two of the governmental parties wrote open letters to the President of Hungary asking for presidential pardon. This is a significant event indicating that the movement on the freedom of birth and on homebirth is gradually gaining more and more political and media support. We hope that eventually the Hungarian juridical system will also align with these changes.

The current Hungarian government played an important role in legislating homebirth. In April, 2011 the new regulations came into effect and later in December modifications were implemented according to which homebirth midwives are now eligible for the licensing procedure. However, homebirth midwives have been out of work for the past year and have no resources to pay their insurance which is a prerequisite for launching their own service provider.

To make use of the existing legislation, to establish the profession of midwifery and to be able to set up a board of midwifery, Hungary needs licensed homebirth midwives who are able to practice freely and learn to manage their own profession. Launching midwifery service providers will surely influence the course of the criminalization of midwifery and the legal proceedings. Both midwives and the Hungarian supporting team need to learn and develop professional management which will take up some time in the beginning.

Here is a list of what you can do to help Dr. Geréb and Hungarian midwives:

Send a supporting letter asking for full presidential clemency for Dr. Ágnes Geréb to the following addresses either by my e-mail or regular mail and/or submit your support at your local Hungarian embassy. Please find the sample letter you may use attached.


President of Hungary	Dr. Pál Schmitt	1536 Budapest, Pf. 227, Hungary	ugyfelkapu@keh.hu

Prime Minister of Hungary	Viktor Orbán	1054 Budapest, Hungary, Szechenyi rakpart 19	fidesz@fidesz.hu

Minister of Public Administration and Justice	Tibor Navracsics	1357 Budapest Pf.2, Hungary	lakossag@kim.gov.hu

Ministry of Health in Hungary	Dr. Miklós Szócska	Ministry of Health, Social and Family Affairs, Budapest 1051, Arany Janos utca 6-8, Hungary	miklos.szocska@nefmi.gov.hu

Minister of the Interior	Sándor Pintér	1903 Budapest Pf.: 314, Hungary	ugyfelszolgalat@bm.gov.hu

Donate to the following account to help the establishment of the first midwifery service provider from Dr. Geréb’s team and to support future campaign work. Please note as the reason for transfer what you would like to support: the establishment of the midwifery service provider or our future campaign work.

http://www.szuleteshaz.hu/en/support-donate/

You may watch short supporting videos by famous midwives and a renowned expert human rights lawyer by clicking at the following links:

Supporting interviews by

Ina May Gaskin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2j96cz5zBg8

Elizabeth Davis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJkrEszDIXY

Today political proponents, media and other organizations are cooperating and supporting more and more the free birth choice. Elizabeth Davis was one of the experts invited to the case. Her video serves as an example for the anomalies in the Hungarian juridical system – of not involving international homebirth experts.

You may listen to two short speeches following the announcement of the verdict in front of the Court Building, Budapest, February 10, 2012

Elizabeth Prochaska: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYTnDC_iA5k&feature=related

Irene Walton: http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=ahvFGaeekkU

If you need more information or you have further questions, please contact:

Gabriella Nagy

International contact person

BirthHouse Association

Budapest, Hungary

e-mail: gabi.nagy@szuleteshaz.hu

cell phone: 36-30-572-2506

www.szuleteshaz.hu