LIBERIA. Penal
Law, July
1976.
Section 16.3. Abortion.
(1) Unjustified
abortion. A person who purposely and
unjustifiably terminates the
pregnancy of another otherwise than by a live birth commits felony of
the
third degree, or, where the pregnancy has continued beyond the
twenty-fourth
week, a felony of the second degree.
(2) Justifiable
abortion. A licensed physician is
justified in terminating a pregnancy
if he believes there is substantial risk that continuance of the
pregnancy
would gravely impair the physical or mental health of the mother or
that
the child would be born with grave physical or mental defect, or that
the
pregnancy resulted from rape, incest, or other felonious intercourse. An illicit intercourse with a girl below the
age of sixteen
shall be deemed felonious for purpose of this paragraph.
(3) Physicians’
certificates;
presumption from non-compliance. No
abortion shall
be performed unless two physicians, one of whom may be the person
performing
the abortion, shall have certified in writing the circumstances which
they
believe to justify the abortion. Such
certificates
shall be submitted before the abortion (a) to the hospital where it is
to
be performed, or if the abortion is not to be performed in a hospital,
to
the Minister of Health, and (b) in the case of abortion following
felonious
intercourse, to the
(4) Self-abortion. A woman whose pregnancy has continued beyond
the twenty-fourth
week commits a felony of the third degree if she purposely terminates
her
own pregnancy otherwise than by a live birth, or if she uses
instruments, drugs, or violence upon herself for that purpose. Except
as justified under paragraph (2) a person who induces or knowingly aids
a
woman to use instruments, drugs, or violence upon herself for the
purpose
of terminating her pregnancy otherwise than by a live birth commits a
felony
of the third degree whether or not the pregnancy has continued beyond
the
twenty-fourth week.
(5) Pretended
abortion. A person commits a felony of the
third degree, if representing
that it is his purpose to perform an abortion, he does an act adapted
to
cause abortion in a pregnant woman although the woman is in fact not
pregnant,
or the actor does not believe she is. A
person charged
with unjustified abortion under paragraph (1) or an attempt to commit
that
offense may be convicted thereof upon proof of conduct prohibited by
this
paragraph.
(6) Section inapplicable to prevention of pregnancy. Nothing in this section shall be deemed applicable to the prescription, administration, or distribution of drugs or other substances for avoiding pregnancy, whether by preventing implantation of a fertilized ovum or by any other method that operates before, at, or immediately after fertilization.