Report on Laws: Abortion, Death Penalty, and Assisted Dying in the UK

This report provides a legal analysis of key areas of UK law, specifically focusing on abortion, the death penalty, and assisted dying. The report begins by examining the legal status of abortion, referencing the Abortion Act of 1967 and outlining the conditions under which abortion is legal, including gestational limits and the requirement for medical approval. It then moves on to discuss the death penalty, detailing the types of offenses for which it can be imposed, such as murder and high treason. Finally, the report addresses assisted dying, clarifying that it is illegal in the UK and treated as murder or manslaughter, while suicide itself is legal. The report cites relevant sources, including books and journal articles, to support its legal analysis. The report is a valuable resource for students studying law and provides an overview of these crucial legal topics.

LAW RELATING TO
ABORTION

Table of Contents
Laws relating to abortion......................................................................................................................3
Laws related to death penalty...............................................................................................................3
Laws related to assisted dying..............................................................................................................3
REFERENCES.....................................................................................................................................4

Laws relating to abortion
Abortion in United Kingdom has been legalised in the year 1967. They have established
abortion act for the same. In this act no individual is considered to be guilty if the female is going to
terminate her pregnancy (Lewitt, 2013). Abortion can be only made to a woman when the
pregnancy has not exceeded 24 weeks. This act will be considered legal only if doctors have sign
off the abortion letter. Otherwise, strict penalty can be charged for them (Abortion laws, 2018). The
termination of pregnancy is only considered legal if it involves risk and threat to the life of women.
Laws related to death penalty
Death penalty in United Kingdom is only given when the suspect has performed any severe
offence like for example individual or group is been engaged in murdering someone. Murder, high
treason, piracy with violence and arson are some of the acts for which death penalty can be given to
a person (Carroll, 2017). Also, if any individual or group is engaged in large scale drug trafficking
than laws and rules have been made by government to give them sentence to death. It is only given
for the severe and critical offence.
Laws related to assisted dying
Assisted dying or euthanasia is not considered as legal in the United Kingdom. The
government or higher authorities treat is as murder or manslaughter (Carroll, 2017). Assisted
suicide is considered as crime but declaring suicide by themselves is narrated as legal in the nation.
Euthanasia is presented as the critical offence in the eyes of law.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Lewitt, S., 2013. Abortion: UK and the Middle East.
Carroll, P., 2017. Legally Induced Abortion: The Demographic Profile and Hazards to the Health of
Women. Studies on Ethno-Medicine.5(1).pp.1-10.
Online
Abortion laws. 2018. [Online]. Available through <https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/3782462/uk-
abortion-laws-termination-nhs-where-countries-illegal/>