At its meeting in Paris on 4 June 2012, the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination expressed deep concern at the announcement made by the Turkish Health Minister Recep Akdag that legislation outlawing abortion in all circumstances would be presented by the end of June. Such an announcement has been accompanied by statements from high government officials, including the Turkish Prime Minister, equating abortion with murder and identifying abortion and “elective caesareans” as the causes for the slow population growth in the country.