€9,100 settlement agreed in China forced-abortion case

on 11/07/2012 10:17:52

The Chinese government has agreed to a cash settlement with the family of a woman who was forced to undergo an abortion because they could not afford a fine for having a second child under the country's tough one-child policy.

Feng Jianmei was forced to abort her baby seven months into her pregnancy because she did not have 40,000 yuan (€5,150) to pay the fine.

The June incident renewed criticism against China's tough family planning rules.

Feng's husband Deng Jiyuan said today that the government agreed to pay the family 70,600 yuan (€9,100). He said his family wanted to return to a normal life.

They are villagers from central Shaanxi province.

Chinese authorities have apologised for the incident and fired two officials and sanctioned five others.